… can we in the league?

by .

Thursday nights are party nights. Unai Emery has turned a pub level competition into a feast for the eyes. He’s taken Wenger’s post-2004 model for the League cup and amped up one of the least glamorous nights in the game. He’s turned Jumpin’ Jacks into an 80s night or decadence on the French Riviera.

Last night, we learned a lot during a brutal dismantling of a very average Standard Liege side.

Gabriel.

This kid is electric. A livewire. A striking talent as clinical and exciting as Nic Anelka from 1997.

The Brazilian didn’t care about the rain, he just made it happen for himself. He scored his second header of his Arsenal career when he nodded a near post Tierney pass across goal. It looked simple, but my word he had a lot to do there. His second was all about archetypal Brazilian footwork, he shuffled his feet, created half a yard and stroked a simple strike across goal.

He was more than just goals, he helped gift Ceballos an easy finish with a dinked cross for our 4th. He nearly assisted a penalty when he eased Reiss Nelson into the box with an Ozil like piece of passing craft.

When Unai Emery bizarrely brought Auba on late in the game, Garbriel switched out to the left and managed to deliver more crosses to feet than Kola did all last season. I’d imagine he’s going to get the early days Thierry treatment, start out left, learn the trade, own the centre when it’s time.

Overall, I am VERY excited about this guy. If this is Edu’s magic, I implore you all to pen him a handwritten thank you letter, like those your mum made you send circa 1992.

Willock.

Another game, another goal. The Englishman did himself all the favours with a very strong performance. He’s an all action hero. He passes well, he doesn’t dither, he has incredible instincts for sniffing out dangerous areas to stand. He also works really hard, he never stops running and for me, he gives us an edge when he’s on the pitch.

It’s tough for Emery, because he’s deeply in love with Xhaka and it’s hard to blood too many kids at the same time. The Swiss might have more experience, he might be less rough round the edges, but a good game from Willock gives us so much more than the rarity of a good game from our captain.

Midfield.

Emery opted for something that looked normal and ambitious. When the Spaniard is up against meek opposition, he makes smart choices. LT the deepest in the pivot. Ceballos, picking up the Ramsey sort of role. Willock marshalling ahead of LT. That’s balance. It worked. We looked good. We weren’t rattled.

The manager might not be able to roll with that midfield at the moment because of experience, but long term, that’s where it has to go. We have to prioritize energy and we have to let players do what they’re good at. We have to stop thinking Xhaka is going to come good.

Fullbacks.

The last myth of Unai Emery… the fullbacks. If we’re to believe some of the staunch believers, the whole system is broken because of two players. We knew tonight the team would have fun day out whoever played, so I’m not surprised Tierney and Hector made the managers last excuse look like a good one. Kieran T was immense, a chance creation machine. He’s fast, direct, aggressive and his delivery is elite. Hector was a little off comparably, but still gave us a better presence on the right. These two aren’t going to save Emery long term, but they’ll give a terminally ill patient a kick of life that’ll convince people Emery can fix Arsenal (like that unbeaten run). We have a lot of easy games coming up, those two coming back will make mincemeat of teams, but it’s not enough.

Emery.

He put on a great show in a competition Raul called his comfort blanket. He’s still making bizarre decisions. Bringing on Auba when you’re 4 up against a pub team is negligent. Our season depends on him, mad that we’re taking risks AGAIN. Second worry is the inconsistency of his messaging on ostracized players. He gave Ozil one of the captains armbands. He didn’t even pick him in the squad. I am not fan of Ozil, but I am a believer in clarity of leadership. At the moment, what he’s doing looks like it’s spite driven.

‘Ozil deserves this’

Sure, as a fan, you have the right to think that. But players in a working environment likely do not see Ozil as the devil. He has status because of who he is in the global pecking order of football and what he can do on the training pitch. Good players want to play with great players. Emery picking on him might not bite him now, but it will at some point.

Consistency is a leadership virtue, if you are ostracizing someone because they wouldn’t leave in the summer, don’t put Mustafi in the squad. If you’re giving someone the captains armband, have them in the squad for a Europa League game. If your leadership lacks basic principals, whispers will start and you’ll let the demons into the camp. Big names can cause big problems. Emery had this at PSG and it killed him, it is shocking to see him make the same mistakes again, especially after the mess he created with Ramsey last year… and remember, before you go off at me on this one, none of this would be relevant if he didn’t give the armband to someone who has NOT been a leader. One of the most confusing contradictions I’ve ever witnessed in sport.

Right, that’s me done, see you in the comments.xxx

908 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
DM

DM

DM

MAR2NELLI

Dan

Refreshing performance.

DM

Tr4phy

TheLegendaryDB10

Trophy

TheLegendaryDB10

Damn you’re good DM!!! I was lurking trying to out fox you!!

DM

I had a feeling someone would be lurking… you were pretty damn close but I was on my game 🙂

N9

Sell Martinelli to Augsburg for £5 million and Joe Willock to Schalke for £3 million

DM

Martinelli’s header last night was phenomenal! His second was class, too. The boy’s got it.

I still can’t believe we managed to get £35m+ for Iwobi!!! Saka, Nelson and Martinelli all already look genuinely better than him.

HighburyLegend

“Can we in the league ?”

Of course not.
Emery will never have the balls to play the same players for the ELC and the PL.

#EmeryOut.

HighburyLegend

“Sell Martinelli to Augsburg for £5 million and Joe Willock to Schalke for £3 million”

@N9 : are you trying to be funny ?
(big miss)

qna

Yep. The current crop of English players are the best we’ve had since Ramsey and Wilshere. The batch with AMN and Iwobi just didn’t have it. Need to sell AMN as soon as possible. I’m not too concerned about Pepe. Whether we were the club that paid the fee or not, Pepe was somewhere close to a £70m player when we bought him. It’s bloody fantastic that guys like Martinelli, Nelson, Saka and Willock can look over and see that they aren’t far off of being 70m players themselves. A good squad is big enough for all of these players… Read more »

Edu me a favour

Typical , I write a load on the old post , 2 seconds before a new one goes up ! Anyway , xhaka is emery’s rope , and he’s banging himself with it , we all watch the games , and that includes Raul and co. They see what we see , they must ask themselves the same questions we ask ourselves , and when emery fails again , because he will he’ll be out the door. I really want us to get top 4 more than anything this season – I don’t think we’ll win europa. But emery cannot… Read more »

HighburyLegend

“He put on a great show in a competition Raul called his comfort blanket. ”

“His comfort blanket” ?? Did Raul seen the last final vs the Chavs ?? lol

Guns of Hackney

Emery out. As they used to say in boxing ‘he beat a Mexican road sweeper’…

Emery is a coward. My posts now will only consist of vitriol toward emery and Greta Thunberg.

“emery has stolen my dreams”.

Little madam. I best she gets invited to all the parties.

Edu me a favour

Hanging – not banging ffs

Edu me a favour

GoldinhoOctober 4, 2019 09:16:26
Not a fan of emery,but giving him the benefit of the doubt regarding bringing Auba on.
It looked to me like he wanted to see what we looked like with him martinelli and Pepe as a front 3. Which I don’t think is bad management,
Buts that’s giving him the benefit of th doubt“

I actually had this same thought

GillespieRoadNoMore

Maybe a bit controversial here but I thought Mustafi had a reasonable game, playing alongside Holding probably no bad thing. I love Sokratis but he can be a bit unpredictable which may unsettle Mustafi.

Tierney is the real deal, The Times today describes him as the heir to Ashley C, just have to hope his head isn’t turned by a Geordie girl like Cheryl. Also hoping we can offload Xhaka in January.

Happy Days

Chris

Everything you can read about Martinelli suggests his attitude and ability is going to enable him to succeed at the highest level. As an 18 year old he is tee total and doesn’t go out raving it up, he studies the game and trains hard. He shunned bigger clubs and more money in Brazil to play for his local side and get the game time that would help his development. He has his career planned out in his head already and I can only hope he sees a significant time with us! It is obviously important not to get carried… Read more »

Gentlebris

Auba could get injured in training as well.

Emery is not it but I think Auba really wanted to play some minutes.

Who’s better?

Saka or Martinelli?

On merit our front line until Laca returns should be

Saka Auba Martinelli.

But I know Pepe has to play to get back his groove.

HighburyLegend

Pepe…
Too bad the poor darling realize that he’s not a PL player.

Graham62

There is no justification in bringing on Auba.

Of course Auba would want to play some minutes but why take a risk.

A couple of the Liege defenders were already getting physical, so why risk your best player?

No, absolutely no justification.

A brain-dead decision.

Ray in LA

@Goldinho — that’s all I could think of too [taking a look at Martinelli and Auba playing together — although why he can do that in training beats me]

@N9 — well I found your sarcastic transfer suggestions amusing 🙂

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Pedro…
Er… no.

Have to save martinez in goal looks very assured. Confident settling.

Do you think mustafi has a life key ..?

Maybe someone bossing him from the side like it looked holding was doing could be ok…

Graham62

So we now have two Arsenal set ups. The slow, mundane, predictable PL team, where we all know, due to substandard personnel, accidents are just around the corner. Then we have the Cup Wizards. Full of pace, intensity and belief. Get your tickets now folks! The irony is we need top 4. Will we win the EL? Probably not. Will we finish top 4 with our existing set up? No we won’t. Integrating the likes of Tierney, Bellerin, Holding, Willock, Saka, Nelson, and Martinelli into the first team pool is a must. As long as Emery can do this, we… Read more »

Receding Hairline

Graham invented fake outrage

Nice post Pedro

The Ozil thing isn’t my problem, Ozil is no longer a big name in the game you believe he is or he wouldn’t have settled for months of disrespect from Emery. Emery’s message was simple, others deserved to make the squad ahead, maybe he should drop his video game and focus on proving his fitness and hunger in training. As for the armband he got it out of seniority, he is one of five captains and we all know that means nothing in reality. He is no leader.

Graham62

Almost forgot.

Martinez is better than Leno.

Another decision for Emery.

Gulp!!

Graham62

Receding

What are you implying?

Receding Hairline

Aubameyang would have scored his 50th Arsenal goal last night , maybe just maybe he personally asked his manager for a few minutes in the game, i mean he must have fancied his chances considering his form.

Like someone said earlier Aubameyang can get injured in training, all this “what f someone broke him in half” outrage is funny.

Receding Hairline

What are you implying?

That you overreact and get all hot under the collar over nothing. Like the Xhaka captaincy that nearly gave you a heart attack and was Emery disrespecting the fan base

Receding Hairline

Great to hear this from UE. No more privilege it’s about hard work https://t.co/VDD9ZeRIjN

— Kevin Campbell (@1kevincampbell) October 3, 2019

His take on the Ozil situation and Emery’s comments …no story there, work hard get in the squad.

raptora

RH: “Like someone said earlier Aubameyang can get injured in training, all this “what f someone broke him in half” outrage is funny.” I mean there was a ruthless challenge vs Martinelli, if I’m not wrong, where it was dangerous, cynical and nasty. It’s after that challenge that Bellerin got himself a booking. Could have been Auba and could have been a lengthy injury. Why?! Nobody normal would make a tackle like that in a training match. If they do, they’d be raped by the rest of their teammates. But who would have known. Another day, another stout defence for… Read more »

Receding Hairline

Raptora there are ruthless challenges in every game of football, football is a contact sport. He has been in great form chasing his 50th goal (players care about such milestones) and may have asked to be involved at some point.

Get over it

Receding Hairline

“But who would have known. Another day, another stout defence for your favorite manager .EKB is what you are.”

Nonsense

G8

Auba only played 10 minutes
Guen 15
I think Emery was trying to experiment formation with both Auba and Martinelle .
No big deal for me..
The opposition allowed that as they are not that physical and hence injury was highly unlikely.

Kids did very well , hopefully Emery can see the light re xhaka

HighburyLegend

@Graham : we should buy a dictionary to Unai, he could search the meaning of “decision”.

HighburyLegend

“hopefully Emery can see the light re xhaka”

This one made me chuckle.

Receding Hairline

G8 EKB is what you are

Graham62

Receding Oh yippee, Auba could have scored his 50th goal. Let’s all go out and celebrate. Why don’t you add all the other daily risks. Getting out of bed, going down the stairs, driving around London etc We all know he can get injured at anytime. The thing is, based on our existing circumstances, Auba getting his 50th goal against Leige when the game is done and dusted is a frigging stupid reason for playing him. What your basically saying is that you agree with Emerys thought process. Your in the minority. Which seat have you been sitting in these… Read more »

Champagne charlie

Actually Auba was far more at risk of an injury from going static to dynamic after watching the game for 80 mins seated, especially with his musculature. It was an unnecessary risk, if your star striker asks for 10 mins at the end of a game we’re winning 4-0 you say no, do the business at the weekend when the actual football teams come to town. It’s meek management being forwarded as a defence, weird. Martinelli looks electric, said that since his cameo pre-season where instantly you saw he played without the fear obvious when watching Nelson. No clue why… Read more »

siddharth14

For a start, Auba shouldn’t even have traveled with the squad. So it has to be on Emery. Even if the fanciful thought of Receding was true, Emery shouldn’t have risked it. Considering our troubles in the premier league, it is utter foolishness to risk Auba and increase the probability of injury. Ozil for all his talent is finished. The fact that Madrid got rid of him when he was already at an elite level is something i have not been able to understand. Perhaps Mourinho was right in suggesting that Ozil is emotionally fragile. There is absolutely no denying… Read more »

Graham62

CC

Thanks for bringing clarity CC.

Bloody hell, does that mean we can have a date?

HighburyLegend

“Martinelli looks electric”

Can’t wait to see him again in the Carambar Cup.
(Thanks Unai, you f*cking imposture)

Dissenter

Auba shouldn’t have been in the match day squad yesterday, talk less of being brought on when the game was already won.
Emery makes these bone-headed decisions too often

Valentin

“The opposition allowed that as they are not that physical and hence injury was highly unlikely.” Except that you could see that one or two of the SL players were getting annoyed at being so clearly outclassed. Martinelli was the recipient of a nasty challenge that led to Bellerin yellow card which should have been Tierney. Before Nelson had also been at the end of a challenge worthy of a yellow card. Even without the challenges, the weather was awful. The pitch was slippery. A lot of possibility to sprain an ankle just by trying to turn on that wet… Read more »

Dissenter

A team losing a game 4-0 are likely to be tired, sometimes a younger player on that team may be unnecessarily vengeful.
Emery is hard to defend.
I’ve been there, at some point one has to call a spade what it is.

Valentin

CC,

“No clue why he’s seen no minutes in the league, he looks like he could be our formative Jesus over at City.”

Martinelli played 10 minutes in the league at Newcastle. Martinelli’s bad luck is that it has been a straight choice between him and Saka on the left. There is no way that Emery would take the decision to bench Pepe or Aubameyang for Martinelli in the EPL.

Dissenter

Who can forget how Abou Diaby got that nasty injury that ended up ruining his career?
It was a game already won, Sunderland subbed in a nothing-player to finish the game and that player cut through Diaby.
Some managers tend to sub in crappy players to finish out drubbings. Crappy players make nasty tackles.
Subbing Auba when your team is 4-0 up at home in a minor competition is crap management;

Champagne charlie

Valentin

Really? Saka seems a very recent emergence, and even still I don’t see how/why Gabriel couldn’t have managed 20 mins in 2/3 games thus far.

Nelson has gotten minutes, and it seems what someone has said prior about ‘seniority’ taking place is evident given the output of all considered.

Graham62

Let’s all live in Recedings matter-of-fact world.

You know it makes sense.

“Shite, we’ve hit an iceberg captain Smith”

“Ah yes, that’s ok, we can hit an iceberg at any time. Can you please pass me the scones”

Receding Hairline

“It was an unnecessary risk, if your star striker asks for 10 mins at the end of a game we’re winning 4-0 you say no, do the business at the weekend when the actual football teams come to town. It’s meek management being forwarded as a defence, weird.” Providing a possible reason for something isn’t always a defense but then again it’s you so no surprises there. Nor did Aubameyang engage in a sprint at any point in the 10 minuets he spent in the game so this “going static to dynamic after watching the game for 80 mins seated,… Read more »

Receding Hairline

I believe every member of the squad trained before the match and Xhaka can also be seen sitting with other players but not in training gear. All well and good predicting a stroll against Liege but this was our home game and qualifying as early as possible in the group stages is imperative hence some of the big players kept in reserve, if the coach grants a request or decides to give his in form striker 10 minutes run out in a game the possibility of his getting injured should not be debated infinitely all day the next day. But… Read more »

Champagne charlie

Receding Asking to play 10 minutes isn’t a “reason”, it’s an example of meek management to allow it given the risks involved. You don’t indulge your prized striker for a personal pursuit of 50 goals when you’re stuttering thus far in the season and 4-0 up. “Nor did Aubameyang engage in a sprint at any point in the 10 minuets he spent in the game so this “going static to dynamic after watching the game for 80 mins seated, especially with his musculature.” is just hot air” Increased risk of injury when going from static to dynamic movement is “hot… Read more »

Receding Hairline

Let’s all live in Recedings matter-of-fact world.

As opposed to living in your “what if” world and ignoring what actually happened

Receding Hairline

Then all substitutions carry a risk in injury because all substitutes start the game seated on the bench. Unless you can prove Aubameyang did not engage in the normal warm up before getting subbed on then yes its hot air or more accurately put, nonsense.

Champagne charlie

“As opposed to living in your “what if” world and ignoring what actually happened”

You can survive a game of Russian roulette, doesn’t mean playing it was no big deal.

You get your back up over the most odd things at times.

Freddie Ljungberg

Martinelli looks fantastic so far but he came from a brazilian 4th division team, don’t think anyone expected him to step up this quickly. We also have Auba, Laca, Saka and our record signing in Pepe ahead of him. He will get plenty of game time, pretty sure he’s on a long contract as well so no need to throw him in too early when we have options. As it stands now it looks like we already have our future forward line at the club which would save us a fuckton of money to spend elsewhere. Too early to judge… Read more »

Chitom

The over the top outrage over Auba’s sub and Ozil snub is quite funny. Ozil is still a big name player? Quick, alert all top European clubs the manager doesn’t fancy him so they can get him on the cheap. What’s that you say, his salary is the road block? Inter , Sanchez. Funny how no one has ever criticized Auba for his front flip goal celebrations. Doesn’t he know he can get injured doing it and cost us the season? Enter now the obligatory “ I’m no Emery fan but” isn’t there enough legit reasons to criticize him for… Read more »

Champagne charlie

“Then all substitutions carry a risk in injury because all substitutes start the game seated on the bench.“ Playing football has a risk of injury, period. That risk is increased with numerous factors that shouldn’t need explained. It’s all basic stuff, but you’d rather dismiss it as “hot air” and “nonsense”. Most call it sports science. Here folk are saying it was silly to put Auba at risk for 10 mins in a game that’s won and you’re going to bat saying maybe he’s asked to be involved. Big who cares if he did, a manager with a dangly pair… Read more »

Receding Hairline

We have Bournemouth at home at the weekend…Big game at the weekend is just you trying to justify your frankly weak argument. If we beat Bournemouth at the weekend you will be here telling everyone it’s just a game against a small team, now you are making a case for Auba not playing 10 minutes against Liege because he may have broken both legs Bournemouth become s a “big game at the weekend”

Valentin

Just seen footage of Emery jumping back to congratulate Xhaka after Martinelli scored the first goal.
It’s bromance with the captain taken to the Nth level!!

Receding Hairline

“The over the top outrage over Auba’s sub and Ozil snub is quite funny.”

tell me about it….i would have taken notice if we traveled to Belgium yesterday and he had to make the trip but at home, 10 minutes run out to see how he combines with the kids…quick get the guillotine

Valentin

Receding,

The premiership is our main objective this year. So until we reach the semi-final of the Europa League, EPL game are the big games. Even EPL game against 3rd tier team are more important.
Not difficult to understand when you take your ‘ I love Emery and how dare you criticise him’ blinkers off.

Receding Hairline

“Not difficult to understand when you take your ‘ I love Emery and how dare you criticise him’ blinkers off.”

More nonsense from you, like the rubbish below

“Just seen footage of Emery jumping back to congratulate Xhaka after Martinelli scored the first goal.
It’s bromance with the captain taken to the Nth level!!”

Coach high fives his captain who i don’t like, quick lets gather round and express outrage, that is more “i hate Emery and how dare you see reason in anything he does” that anything i have written here. So jog on

Chitom

Emery clearly wanted Mustafi out.
Everyone said his Arsenal career was over but yet somehow he’s found his way back into the squad.
Why? Maybe because he’s been working hard in training and makes himself available to play all the time.

Ozil on the other hand apparently decided to outlast Emery while mailing it in.

When Conte said Sanchez was out of Inter squad until he deserved to be in it, no one claimed he disrespected the big name player.

HighburyLegend

“Shite, we’ve hit an iceberg captain Smith”

Too bad you didn’t hit Xhaka’s head instead of an iceberg.

Valentin

“Funny how no one has ever criticized Auba for his front flip goal celebrations.” Wenger used to have strict rules on celebration. Henry now iconic sliding stance came about because Wenger did not like his previous celebration and fined him for it. The funny part was that Wenger hated that new celebration even more because it was risky for the knees. I remember a Fulham player whose name escape me getting a serious injury during one of his extravagant celebration. When he came back and scored, a teammate celebrated by jumping on his back and he was very unhappy about… Read more »

Champagne charlie

“Big game at the weekend is just you trying to justify your frankly weak argument. If we beat Bournemouth at the weekend you will be here telling everyone it’s just a game against a small team“ It’s a weak argument to state playing Auba was an unnecessary risk at 4-0 up? The same Auba that’s been pivotal for near enough every game this season? Right oh lad. I’m not saying Bournemouth are a big team or such, I’m saying we need our difference maker to feature in the more important games. The next PL game is more important than some… Read more »

Leftsidesanch

He must get braver with his Prem selections. Our cup team has much athleticism and looks more balanced. They’re far easier on the eye as well. I’m not sure why Unai makes life so difficult for himself.

Bamford10

Great post, Pedro. I don’t agree with you on all points, but the above is some good writing. Well done.

Words on a Blog

Whether it’s after a poor performance (Watford away etc) by the “first 11” or after an electrifying performance (last night) by the “second string” there is by now almost a unanimous consensus on here that Emery is: “NOT GOOD ENOUGH” “INEPT” “CLUELESS” “LACKS SPECIAL SAUCE” And that we should get rid of him pronto (the “Radicals”), or Get rid of him at the end of the season (the “Moderates”). Feel free to harangue me or laugh at me or ignore me, but I’m gonna stick my neck out and go against the grain and predict that, even after making a… Read more »

HighburyLegend

“NOT GOOD ENOUGH”
“INEPT”
“CLUELESS”
“LACKS SPECIAL SAUCE”

==> SPICE POCH ??

Rambo Ramsey

HighburyBellend,

Serious question:- Are you mentally challenged?

Receding Hairline

“3) Emery may lack sauce, but he has one year of EPL under his belt, and he is not as bad or as stupid as everyone on here seems to think.”

he is garbage words, garbage!!

Imagine playing a striker for 10 minutes against Liege, that is the point you are missing…

Receding Hairline

On a serious note that was a good post Words

Reading this blog one will assume we are stumbling about in the league and his sack is just around the corner…that is so far away from the reality on ground its amusing

Bamford10

While I agree that bringing Aubameyang on was a curious decision — was Emery asked about this afterward? — I am not buying this “he is mistreating Ozil” thing. Ozil has been known to sulk, pout, bitch and play the twat when things don’t go his way; my guess is that he is doing this in training and has thus lost whatever remaining good-will he had with the manager. We have been trying to sell Ozil for some time; if the manager has moved on from him, so be it.

Words on a Blog

Oh and a few other reasons underlying my “top 3” prediction:

4) ManU have a shorty squad and the Norwegian Jesus has been exposed as a fraud.

5) The Spuds and Poch are imploding a

6) Chelsea squad is too inexperienced, as is Lampard: they will flatter to deceive.

7) Leicester will have a good run, but will ultimately suffer because of the lack of depth in their squad.

Words on a Blog

“ManU has e a shitty squad NOT “shorty”squad!

HighburyLegend

“Unai Emery says others “deserved” a place in Arsenal’s team over Mesut Ozil after his young side beat Standard Liege in the Europa League on Thursday.”

lol probably the last time I agree with the spanish wenger.

Chitom

Valentin
Obafemi Martins missed a stretch after he pulled a hamstring doing his tumbling routine.
Yea, that guy, the beneficiary of Szczesny/ Koscielny Keystone Cops routine in the 2011 Carling cup final.

Receding Hairline

Find a lot of articles backing Leicester and Rodgers to shock Liverpool at Anfield this weekend, seems the hype is not just on here.

Bojangles

Words

I wondered why you expected others to harangue you for expressing an opinion, then I remembered, this is Le Grove.

raptora

RH, Lets not forget Cazorla almost retired because of a Wenger fuckup to play him in a game vs a team we would have easily won regardless of Santi playing or not. Our best and most important player (ring any bells?) got injured in a nothing game vs Ludogorets at home. Next game he played was in 636 days. I was here critisizing Wenger for massively fucking up, overplaying the almost 32 yo at the time maestro in the middle of October vs a team we eventually won 6:0. His injury happened after half time when we were already leading… Read more »

Thomas

Emery out now

Bamford10

Words

“he is not as bad or as stupid as everyone on here seems to think”

Not everyone here, Words. Yes, there are a fair number of unreasonable Emery-is-an-incompetent-disaster types — several of whom are disgruntled former AKBs — but there are also a fair number of us who occupy a more middle ground, e.g., Emery is a smart, hard-working, competent manager, but he has limitations and he is getting a few things wrong.

Receding Hairline

“Lets not forget Cazorla almost retired because of a Wenger fuckup to play him in a game vs a team we would have easily won regardless of Santi playing or not. Our best and most important player (ring any bells?) got injured in a nothing game vs Ludogorets at home. Next game he played was in 636 days.” You must be fun at parties .”He could have lost his job for doing something so stupid and incompetent as to risk his whole season over an already decided game with 0 positives that you can extract of the sub in any… Read more »

raptora

Just a reminder.

Aubameyang: EPL apps – 7, minutes – 630, EL apps – 2, minutes – 101.

Literally the first minutes he didn’t play in the season other than that Caraboo game.

HighburyLegend

Another priceless and essential post from Thomas…

Champagne Charlie

“Yet to see a manager sacked for a sub or a player getting injured but you guys persist with this losing his jobs talk. This is a results business and so far he is doing better than some of your favorites.” Pretty certain Raptora is referencing how losing Auba would mean our results plummet and that would end up costing Emery his job. But sure, make a ridiculous argument that he’s claiming the manager would get saved for an injury… The stuff you come out with back against the wall is laughable. Paella Palace it is once more for the… Read more »

5am

I thought Emery brought Auba on to test how Martinelli could link up with him from the wing as might be identify that as a possibility with some of the games coming up….

5am

Well said on the Ozil saga – rather inconsistent by Emery again to say the other players deserved it more and then come Sunday he’ll stick Xhaka in the line up!

Champagne Charlie

What teams are looking like the faves to drop into the real European competition this season?

We’re head and shoulders better than anyone else currently in it.

raptora

“Like i said earlier providing reasons something might have happened is not a defense of said occurrence” So because Auba didn’t get injured it was a good idea to play him in a meaningless game? Let’s never sub him then, maybe he doesn’t get injured ever in his career. You basically denied 1. Well known facts that players get injured way more often in the latter stages of games halves due to muscle fatigue and 2. The luck factor where by far our most important player was thrown to play a meaningless game where anything could have happened. But it… Read more »

Bamford10

Words I agree with some of what you say above about our prospects of finishing top four, but I don’t agree that United have a poor squad or that Solskjaer has been exposed. I think time will tell that both of these conclusions, though popular at the moment, are wrong. United were the better team when we played them the other night, and not, as some here think, because Emery set us up wrong. They were the better team because they had better players on the field. Now, some of why they had better players on the field is down… Read more »

Chitom

“Pretty certain Raptora is referencing how losing Auba would mean our results plummet and that would end up costing Emery his job.”

Shouldn’t you want Auba playing every minute of every meaningless game then, so hopefully he gets injured and Emery loses his job?

Let’s follow the logic here for a second.
You want Emery out. Risking your best player’s injury in a meaningless game is a sackable offense. Therefore you should applaud Emery’s decision and hope he stays the course, right?

Bamford10

5AM

That’s what I was thinking as well. That he wanted to give Martinelli and Aubameyang an opportunity to play together. I still think people are right to question the decision to play Aubameyang, but I would like to hear what Emery has to say in defense of his decision. He is not an idiot, though; he wouldn’t have risked Aubameyang for no reason whatsoever.

raptora

RH: “Yet to see a manager sacked for a sub or a player getting injured but you guys persist with this losing his jobs talk. This is a results business”

I’m dying to see Emery finish in top 4 without Auba in the team. Actually I’m not because I want Auba to be healthy and it’s why I’m fuming about him playing in a pub game. But watching as to how Emery’s game plan without Auba would be… Oh, that would be interesting. Emery achieving results without Auba. Probably why he hasn’t missed a minute of the EPL.

Receding Hairline

“1. Well known facts that players get injured way more often in the latter stages of games halves due to muscle fatigue and”

He just came on dude, where is the fatigue? Latter stages of games halves, so you mean players usually only get injured between the 35-45th minute of each game, i will like some stats to back that up or i will have to file it away as hot air

raptora

Lol,
Bamford joins the crew. Sorry I only included RH in the conversation. Pretty sad that both of them would have trashed Wenger if he had done that, and they probably have, same way I have, but now cannot see when a braindead decision happens infront of their eyes. Literally everything to defend him. Reminds me of some other folks.

Receding Hairline

“I’m fuming about him playing in a pub game. ”

Pub game? Lol

Will this happen to be the same pub game where most on here are hailing the players who played in it as “better than the losers Emery keeps picking”? Show some consistency in your arguments and as for the fuming part who care if you are fuming….not me nor does Emery. You are just hurting yourself over nothing.

I have indulged you enough over this non event so don’t consider it rudeness if i do not respond on the subject going forward

1 2 3 10