I watched the Arsenal game in New Orleans in a great bar call Finn McCool’s. I am very hungover right now. So bear with me kids.
We’re now into October and Unai Emery has only managed one decent performance this season, that was against a Championship side.
On the face of it, you can boldly look at the on-paper situ and say that we’re sitting in 4th, we’re ahead of two of our main rivals in the race for top 4, and we’re excited about some of the kids.
Or you could be a miserable but realistic person and realize that there are only 3 points between 4th and 11th, our main rivals are in deep transition / we’ve not taken advantage of their woes, and the kids are the only exciting thing because the rest of the squad hasn’t really shown up.
At the core of our problems is our beta manager. Unai Emery went to Old Trafford, a team West Ham bossed, and played with fear again. His midfield lacked ambition, he basically rolled with three holding midfielders, opting to push LT into a more advanced position he really can’t play. Xhaka is Xhaka, you know what you’re going to get and it’s always a different variant of beige. We all love Matteo, but he can’t do it all himself. I really felt for the attack, Auba was dropping into our own penalty box at times to create for the forward players. Petit summer up the side he picked.
‘It sends negative signals by picking 3 defensive midfielders against a team there for the taking’
We went a goal down, there were 9 Arsenal players behind the ball when McTominay fizzed a shot that Xhaka ducked. It was quite startling to be down to a side that’s been so inept this season, but not surprising, we give wind to any club in any sort of crisis. Xhaka ducking a header? Not shocking.
We clawed one back in VAR circumstances. Saka slipped Aub into the box with a lovely first-time pass, the finish was an arrogant little dink, but the linesman called it offside. VAR overturned the decision. De Gea looked like he’d broken the unwritten rule… play on regardless of what you see with you eyes and hear with your ears. The VAR ruled the goal legitimate.
Saka was the one bright spot in a game of darkness. He’s electric, he moves the ball with purpose, he’s extremely bright and he delivers. If we’d spent £80m on him this summer, we’d all be purring right now. What a bright future this guy has.
The rest of the game was pretty grim to watch. The manager tried to spice up our attack with the introduction of Ceballos. I’m not sure it heavily altered the dynamic, though it did give us a bit more purpose.
We chased the win late on by bringing Reiss Nelson on for the dismal Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian superstar looked utterly lost once again. He has some lovely flashes, but he has no clue what he’s doing in the Emery system. He’s a lost his sparkle, he needs a goal, I also think he needs a hug, the guy looks very, very miserable.
1-1 was a fair result, but once again, it was a poor one given the context. What made it worse was the glee on Emery’s face, like he’d just taken Sevilla to Barca and nicked a point. It’s so meek.
I’m no fan of Mesut Ozil, but in a game as bad as that, he’d be handy to open up opportunities. The manager named him in his 5 captains, then dropped him from the squad. What does that say about your emotional intelligence as a coach? How do your rationalise that sort of thing? What does that message look like to the other players? It’s farsical considering how little magic was on show yesterday. As someone comically said yesterday, Emery would prefer to play a defensive midfielder as a #10.
Long and short of it. We couldn’t take advantage of Spurs when they were in freefall. We couldn’t take advantage of an OGS mess. We’re in 4th place, sure, but the reality is we’re not playing like a top 4 team and the hangover from last season has carried through. We are a very average team. Some fans aren’t paying attention to the performances becasue they don’t think the table lies. I have news for you, the table always lies, if you didn’t learn that last season during our 22 game unbeaten streak, I feel for you. Emery hasn’t moved us forward, he doesn’t know how to build a defensive structure, his approach to attack is painfully one-dimensional, and worst of all… the players don’t look like they enjoy playing his system.
We’re holding out for Tierney and Hector to save Emery’s vision, the same way many fans were holding onto the idea that buying wide players would make his style tick. It’s fantasy stuff. We were supposed to be hiring in a magician who could work with the tools he was given, we got a one-dimensional manager with less tricks up his sleeve than Wenger. The only thing that’s flexible is his indecision. The only thing that’s visionary is the belief that there’s a good player somewhere in the world of Xhaka. The only thing exciting are the moments of individual magic some of our talent can pull off inspite of the manager.
We hired in asset stripper, the asset he’s selling off is footballing joy and he’s utterly ruthless at it. Unai Emery doesn’t want to have a specific style. He just wants to crawl through each game and take the points any way he can. It’s like watching a mid-table team bar fight after 12 beers. He’s a bad pragmatist, he doesn’t believe in anything, so we’re always going to look confused. We get by at the moment because we have good players, or more to the point, we have an Auba.
That’s not a sustainable model. It didn’t work last season, I have my doubts it will this year. The only thing we’re hopeful of is that Chelsea, Spurs and United continue to be works of transition. That’s such a miserable outlook considering how good some of the talent is.
… but this is us for the forseeable. I can’t see the club doing anything unless things go really badly, we’re just going to aim for 4th and hope the manager finds some sort of rhythm.
A disappointing result, but par the course for Emery.
How much is Gnabry worth now?
TR7-2
Wenger will come out and say how he almost signed Gnabry for Arsenal. Oh wait…
😂 Brilliant
Spurs just can’t help but out do us eh? 😂
‘Spuds had a power SERGE in London tonight’
Nice
Graham my namesake is worth about 80m I reckon
It’s frustrating that everything we can do, spurs can do better.
Including being humiliated by Bayern Munich.
Lmao eat shite spuds,Gnabry is true gooner,what a way to banish temporarily the depressing thought of us being utter wank too under our own clown Emery
G N A B R Y
And that route 1 football cap wearing Mug said he couldn’t cut it at the prem.
… and the mug Wenger for letting him go and persisting with guys like Walcott and Campbell !!!
😣😣😫😫
Who is getting sacked first between ole,poch and Emery?
Smash and Gnarb!!!
Tr7 is going to get roasted tonight ainit?…Poor guy”
Guy is a closet spuds,hopefully he gets binned anytime he comes out with poch being a top3 manager in the world,no one here deserves to go through the pain of witnessing such idiotic opinion.
Poch just overtook Marco Silva as the bookies favourite for the sack.
🙃
Looks like Poch played a diamond.
He must be learning from Emery
TR7 getting roasted?
The statement that Poch is a top 3 manager in the world is copyrighted to Pedro!
Guy is a closet spuds,hopefully he gets binned anytime he comes out with poch being a top3 manager in the world,no one here deserves to go through the pain of witnessing such idiotic opinion.
Shut the fuck up you hypocritical piece of shit. Not once but twice in the last year have you wished for Huddersfield and Villa to beat us. Pathetic fan
I would imagine the Spurs fans and their board have one question on their minds:
What evidence is there that Pochettino can take Spurs on an upwards trajectory?
Poch was a hipster favourite just a few short months ago.
Get in the bin.
Please Lewy, buy Emery!!
Azed “The biggest problem with our team is fear and Emery is to blame for that. ” The 2nd half performance v Watford will have far reaching effects on our games this season, especially our away games. I was hoping the new signings will give us the fear factor but what has happened is other clubs will have watched our pathetic performance v Watford and will be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of facing Arsenal. Every away game will be a battle , teams will be over physical, just as United were last night. Emery wont try… Read more »
“What evidence is there that Pochettino can take Spurs on an upwards trajectory?”
Ha ha.
Spurs lose 7-2 and Vic and Pierre want to talk about Emery. Fair play lads. Yeah let’s bring up the Watford game
Pierre,
I have very little confidence of us of getting any points away from home in our supposedly easy run coming pre Man City against Sheffield Utd, Leicester, Norwich and West Ham, and I can see us struggling at home against Bournemouth, Wolves and Crystal Palace as well.
I think the home games at least Ozil has to play.
This has been festering since the CL Final.
The players have lost their intensity and to a degree so has Poch.
RM I’m sure will be sniffing around.
Marko
Getting Worrisome this obsession you have going with me,think you its about time you give it a rest for your insanity
OK let’s call a truce, you want a go at my ass, fine,have at it and stop pestering me unnecessarily,you little asswipe
Take a look at this Grovers, what a fucking legend! 😂
https://twitter.com/SergeGnabry/status/1179146898503913472?s=19
Benny
I doubt if the manager will swallow his pride again as he did last season regarding Ozil and reinstate him back into the side.
Emery still remain a disaster for us though, Pochetini getting his ass crack severely wounded tonight doesn’t make him worse than Emery.
Don’t think we would have done any better tonight given same scenario and that’s saying something
Brilliant from Serge on twitter too.
Gnabry always had the talent but come on, let’s be honest, he was never going to reach his current level playing under Monsieur Wenger.
Not in a million years.
Lol at Spurs and Poch.
Think they need a clear out at Spurs, half the Players and the Manager don’t want to be there anymore. Will be a “Mix and Mat h” season for them all round….couldn’t have happened to a nicer club.
Poch and Spurs need an amicable break up from each other. That failed CL run really took it out of them. I remember that weasal Rose drinking beer on the pitch after the semi like they won the whole damn thing.
Now we know how to beat Lioris. Shoot low to the corner.
@ Graham
That’s a wrong assessment, some players thrive under certain situations and with time and other don’t.
It’s always good to look at things in hindsight…its like KDB and Salah under Jose at Chelsea….one could say he was wrong to let either go but there are no guarantees in football…a’la Pogba and United.
Some players thrive better in different climes and with different systems. (Coutinho comes to mind)
Let’s just be happy that Serge is happy playing footie the way he wants
Honestly I would rather be playing in Europa league than be banged 7-2 by a half-decent Bayern team.
@ Lefftside
Funny thing is that I think Poch has the “Saviour” mentality and enjoys the fact that Spurs needs him right now more than he needs them.
It also let’s him gets away with the fact that he has won Sweet FA till date….for him it’s always about the process and not the end result.
The SPUDS fans must be feeling sick watching the team got the ass kick.
TR7
Where are you? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Loyika
Sorry but I’m pretty sure it was the correct assessment.
Gnabry would not have developed the way he has, under Wenger.
Just ask Theo and Ox.
Hot race for which manager of the following clubs: arsenal,spuds and united land the sack first
Could completely see three new faces for those clubs by next season though,interesting to see who we get
@ Graham
Each one to their own…Not sticking up for the Arsene just saying that there are no guarantees.
Cesc, Lauren, Titi and others thrived and (so did other players) some others didn’t …win some and lose some I guess..
It is what it is. Good thing is that Serge is getting the accolades he deserves.
Poch lost his humility and got the Wenger bug. He started acting super… just another random Spanish who stumbled on success.
Get rid of them all.
Below average Bayern side……
We have our own issues to worry about, however if you haven’t enjoyed tonight’s events as an Arsenal fan then I am not sure what to say to you!
I think it absolutely delicious that all those Sours fans going on about how they have a better team, stadium and future than us, and then get absolutely annihilated to a world audience, and an ex Arsenal player scoring four in the process, that is absolutely bloody marvellous 😂
@ Victorious
I doubt Stan K will pull the plug on Emery.
Will probably give him 1 more season if we finish Top 6.
Danny Rose is such a sack of lying shite
He should have had a yellow card for that challenge on Coman, instead he embellished it and got a penalty.
Serge Gnabry’s shooting ability was crazy tonight.
Hope the gooner part of him enjoyed that.
These fuckers better go hide in the Europa and never return.
But they have friends on Sky who will yet swear they will make EPL top three this season.
What’s Kane saying though?
I’m not sure Loyika at present. Poch is wearing the look of a tired man who would rather be elsewhere. As things stand I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in a new role by the summer.
Looking forward to the Amazon Special – “Spurs daring to dream vs Bayern”
‘Hot race for which manager of the following clubs: arsenal,spuds and united land the sack first’
Of course you know Arsenal always act ten years later.
Spurs need the CL more than anyone else in the league
That stadium payment will become a lead jacket around them without CL money.
They barely made more than us last year even with that crazy run to the CL finals.
I mean when you come out with stuff like “top 3” manager in the world, you better make sure said manager has won a bunch of stuff and not a “playing pattern” to his name. We all agree right now that Emery is not fit for purpose but deary me Pochettino doesn’t even come close to what the Spaniard has achieved really. The spurs squad has reached it’s peak, probably best for everyone and that means half the squad and manager to part ways… If I i were Kane, I’d probably be on with my agent to start putting out… Read more »
Dear oh dear, spuds down to earth with an almighty thud. Back where they belong, banter spursy!!
Poch top 3 favourites for sack and that’s about the only top 3 for him. Arrogant little penis.
Thing is, unlike what pertains at Chelsea doubt Danny Levy will give him a big payout if he says he wants to walk…..so might be waiting for the sack to get a big pay off.
Wonder where he ends up though…would be surprised if he went to Madrid. I think PSG might suit him better. No real pressure there as will come in Spain.
Also, once Moussa Dembele left, that was probably it as they’ve not had anyone else who can carry the ball out from tight spaces like he used to.
Poch is the first manager I’ve come across who has ZERO trophies on his resume …and yet disdained trophies.
Even Real will be careful to sign him up now.
They have too many players who will sign a pre-contract with continental European teams come January.
Emery out.
Jose in.
If not.
Our own 7-2 loading……at Citey.
I mean he was asked how Sissoko’s new contract and he said ” the decision was between the player and the club” nothing about how important the player was e.t.c. The whole atmosphere over there must be rotten i think, then you’ve got the whole sleeping with a team mates wifey thing if any of that is true and then those who had their hearts on leaving but didn’t due to lack of offers e.t.c. Hard to find extra motivation to go again for another year
Also watched City today against Zagreb and for some reason, they look so ordinary in Europe each time i see them, almost like there’s a fear there or something, doubt they’d be winning the champions league anytime soon
THIS shows what a crap manager Emery is, what a criminal waste of talent at a time when our football is lacking invention
https://youtu.be/bdpAXz2In-U
We heard you the last 1,000 times
😀😀😀😀 it’s actually yet another Ozil dedication video from Pierre… It’s late old man, you should get some rest
Marko, Forget your usual hate of Wenger. It has explained numerous time that Wenger wanted to keep Gnabry but that he refused to sign an extension after the WestBrom loan fiasco. Arsenal were therefore forced to sell him for a reduced fee. Fiasco due to Gnabry deciding to go on loan at WestBrom managed by Tony Pulis because it was a premiership club rather than a Championship club where he was guaranteed a starting place. Remember that one of the Gazidis decision has been to remove Wenger from academy decision. Since that fiasco most of the academy administrators have been… Read more »
It has explained numerous time that Wenger wanted to keep Gnabry but that he refused to sign an extension after the WestBrom loan fiasco
Yeah he refused to sign an extension because game time wasn’t forthcoming because the previous 3 seasons he was rarely used. To blame it solely on Pulis and the West Brom loan and to dismiss the fact that Wenger never gave him enough opportunities is reimagining of the past by a AKB. One man was solely responsible for losing Gnabry and it was Arsene Wenger
Poor lad is absolutely obsessed with Ozil. Looking up his highlight reel with a sock in hand before bedtime.
Pierre’s a grown man who watches Ozil passing videos. What a pathetic wanker
Batistuta
Every time we play without skill ,invention, composure and technique, I will be reminding le Grove of the criminal waste of talent by our manager.
Marko,
Don’t let the fact get in the way of your hate.
The year he joined he had a lot of game time.
He was injured for a long time, hence the decision to send him on loan to give him time to recover.
I saw Silva playing for Man City earlier tonight and for the 1,000th time, I asked myself “why oh why can’t Ozil play like Silva”. He’s even 2 or 3 years younger!
Jamie and Marko…
You will have to accept the fact that Emery is not worth defending anymore ….
Every away game will be a battle now , expect our away games v Sheffield utd, norwich and Leicester to be games where the opposition play better football than us , to have more possession than us , to have more shots at goal than us and to be an embarrassment for arsenal football club as our most talented players will be left out of the side as Emery fills the team with what you wanted . . .workers
Rodney king
Emery wouldn’t play Silva .
Pierre
‘You will have to accept the fact that Emery is not worth defending anymore ”
He’s not worthy of your non-stop vitriol too
Today is about Spuds and their 7-2 drubbing in their white elephant stadium.
Stay on point.
Pierre –
Show me where I’ve defended Emery beyond our end-of-season capitulation, and I’ll post 10 sexy vids of Ozil you can take into the bathroom with you when your parents leave the house.
Not many are defending Emery, Ozil being a lazy out of date footballer and emery being an average buffoon of a manager are unrelated. Both exist and are true reflections based on actual evidence.
I’ll quote my Spurs pal.
“Fancy moving to stadium with no trophies to go with you and that “elite feel” going to burden us for sure. We’re in serious decline”
– 8 or 9 wins this calendar year. That’s shocking. Relegation form.
Oh well, cannot say i didn’t enjoy watching that with certain people.
Gnabry. Good job we got rid of him. Useless cunt.
The year he joined he had a lot of game time.
Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good point am I right. Year he joined he played he made 4 senior appearences then. In the all the time he spent with us he made 18 appearences for the seniors more for the reserves hence he wasn’t given the opportunities hence wanting to leave hence Wenger was the reason he hence he’s a scrotum
I don’t see the Emirates becoming a fortress any time soon, let alone worrying about our away form.
*year he joined he played with the youths
Spurs 2 – Bayern 7.
Pierre: “Emery out!”
The secret of good comedy is timing.
I’ve been saying since forever that building a good squad alone doesn’t make poch a top class coach. He then has to go on and achieve things with it. Which he doesn’t because he can’t. Wenger also built some good squads on the cheap. He also won titles. He also was marginally less shit against Bayern so there’s that too
Poch is a hipster’s dream but I ain’t no hipster
Lol marko hitting hard with dat scrotum bat
You’ve been told
Gnabry played for Arsenal a total of 471 mins in the EPL, 21 mins in the UCL (in 3 apps btw….), 180 mins in the FA Cup, and 200 mins in the EFL Cup. A total of 872 mins in 18 games in his 3 years with us. He registered 1 EPL game for West Brom coming in as a reserve playing for 12 mins. Since then he’s been scoring over 10 LEAGUE goals in each of his 3 seasons in the Bundesliga. That’s Alexis type of numbers and I’m struggling to remember the last time we had a goal… Read more »
Gnabry put out a tweet after the game saying ‘North London is RED’
Lad!
raptora
I don’t think Gnarby would be of any help to this current Arsenal squad.
He is better served elsewhere.
Dark Hei tbh I agree in that we don’t like quality offensive players. Just emery doesn’t know how to fulfill their potential.
Our entire game plan appears to be ‘struggle and wait for Auba to steal a goal out of nowhere’
We don’t lack*
Poor old Pep going to give himself a heart attack before he’s 50. Got himself booked for his frustration. W
Poor Pep going to give himself a heart attack before he’s 50. Managed to get himself a yellow for his protestations. He looked totally bewildered as to why afterwards.
China1
The plan is to play like shit and lure the opponents into a false sense of security before Aubameyang nicks a goal due to some mistake they make.
No explaining a 2-7 home loss.
Gnarby is amazing. Reminds me of debruyne if wingers not flashy in anyway just purely clinical with a robotic touch.
Hurts that we let Gnabry go…”
Let’s be honest. If he were here he wouldn’t be playing at that level. He’s at a proper club, that fosters growth and development. That’s half the battle with grooming young talent.
Glad he got out TBH, for his sake anyway.
He is better served elsewhere.”
^^
So where are we now when it comes to overhyping the managers of other teams?
I’ve seen the future and it’s name is Niko Kovac – the best thing since sliced bread. Until he fucks up. Then it will be someone else’s turn. Rinse and repeat.
Torreira….regressing Ceballos…Regressing Pepe…….. ..Regressing. All began their Arsenal careers looking the business and all are losing confidence before our very eyes. Pepe gave Liverpool a torrid time on his debut , Ceballos was outstanding on his full debut v Burnley. Torreira’s decline has been slower but equally as worrying . The next 8/10 weeks are vital for the team. We have a nice little run of games to help build confidence and find a formation and tactics that will suit our players. We really need to stamp some authority on games , find a pattern of play, play with positivity… Read more »
PierreOctober 2, 2019 08:19:03
100% agree
297 comments, & the words Kroenke & Son aren’t mentioned once!
emery needs to go more convinced now than ever smiling and joking in the end like he had got something out of the game .he is just a journey man getting paid big wages and has no intention of really competing , he expects to compete with the second tier as he is a second tier manager that must be obvious to everyone now.it is a criminal waste of Auba and Laca’s talents , there can be no extension for this manager .he bloods the youngsters as he has been told he has to .Ozil has no interest either and… Read more »
I’ll tell you what, it’s good to have Bamford back; and Marko Paulinho Receding hairline and a few others who don’t let the akbs run riot now Emery is failing. It was 100% called out before Wenger even left that akbs wouldn’t give whoever the new man was a chance. Yes Emery isn’t taking us further and should be called out, it’s just the pure fact that only since someone that isn’t Wenger is now calling the shots that they should be accountable to some on here. Bunch of cunts. Also Arteta I would have liked to have seen given… Read more »