Nonsense never sleeps at Arsenal. The Telegraph is reporting that Unai Emery, a man suffering third-degree burns from his last democratic election (Xhaka for captain), is once again canvassing the squad for their opinions on whether to sack Xhaka as captain (#XhakaOut).
You couldn’t make it up.
Firstly, the players voted him in. They are not good decision-makers. If this were Manchester City, I’d understand, but Arsenal? Please. They’re not voting for what’s good for them. Secondly, does Unai have an advisor? An agent? A friend? Someone intervene and explain to this man what leadership is.
You don’t ask the team who should get fired. You don’t vote for promotions. This habit of sharing poor decision making is incredibly beta male and I have no idea why no one at the club has thought to intervene. Emery was doing it last season without oversight (motivational speeches from the fucking travel booker), and he’s at it again this season. Where is Edu in all of this?
It’s not a surprise either, all this information was out there when we hired him. This is the manager on power at big clubs shortly before he joined us.
‘I am of the opinion that PSG’s leader is Neymar. Or that he is currently becoming it. Neymar came to PSG to be the leader, to go through this process to someday become the best in the world. At Manchester City, Pep is in charge. At PSG, Neymar has to be.’
Distilled: The manager at Manchester City is the manager. The manager at PSG, where I was, is Neymar.
Quite an incredible statement to make public, but again, not surprising if you’ve paid attention to his behaviour over the past 15 months.
My prediction? I think something else Emery said in the same interview could be pertinent.
I think that I managed the dressing room quite well. My greatest satisfaction was that the team didn’t sink, after losing against Barcelona or Real Madrid. A few weeks ago for example, we had a horrible first half against Saint-Étienne, but after the break, with one player sent off, we reacted well and managed to equalise. One of my staff members told me, “Unai, today the players showed that they are with you. If that weren’t the case, we would have lost.”
And he was right. If the team wanted to end me, that would have been the moment to do so. But the team was able to react. That was my main satisfaction, even if this will remain something personal which won’t matter for much from an external point of view. Of course, I don’t control everything. Both round of 16 eliminations showed that. It is difficult to control the necessary elements with a big team, and I still need to improve in that respect.
Emery has very little control over the dressing room at Arsenal. His captain hasn’t apologised a day after his disgraceful actions. Lacazette is out here liking #EmeryOut posts on Instagram, then retracting when people paid attention. Players are leaking to the press that the dressing room is split. Ozil is running amock with his peaceful protests now the manager and Edu doubled down on making him a martyr. We have Liverpool, Wolves and Leicester next in the league
Blood is in the water. I am very much doubtful Emery has the resources to rescue this. I think the players might give up on him… then we’re in a whole world of trouble because according to Ornstein, Edu doesn’t have a contingency plan.
Not good enough. Our strategy, Champions League qualification, is an objective. That is no way to build a football club. It’s likely why we stuck with a bad manager. On paper, he has what we need in the short term. But paycheque to paycheque seasons is no way to build a winning machine and we’re seeing the fruits of that for the second season running. The big worry, as I said yesterday, is that a club with no plan will always opt for Jose Mourinho. A toxic has been with a jerrycan and a box of matches.
Beware the obvious choice…
I have been up late to record a podcast with Matt, a more considered offering can be found there! Enjoy.
Finally: THE FANS WHO BOOED XHAKA ARE A DISGRACE TO ARSENAL FC
————————
Bollocks to that.
on whether Ozil is in the travelling squad and if he will play… Yes, tomorrow. He’s in the group so he has a chance to play. We have had this morning a very good conversation, Mesut and Me, and I said to him I haven’t changed my idea about him. He knows what I want from him because it’s the same as last season in the first day of pre-season training when we had a conversation. It’s the same as one month ago and in that way, some circumstances weren’t helping us in every moment to be consistent or available… Read more »
Pedro
I’m not disagreeing with that, I’m talking from a fans perspective.
I’m not sat interested in a Xhaka apology or what the future holds for him, I want to see a statement or action that communicates to me the club are acutely aware of the seriousness of this mess in totality.
This Xhaka episode is a symptom, and whilst clearly you wipe your nose when it’s running, you don’t ignore the fucking cold causing it.
on if he is still the right person to be the captain of Arsenal…
Emery :” I explained why I decided that. He has the values, he has the respect in the dressing room, he has experience and he is captain of his national team. He has the conditions to be the captain. I decided that and the players respect that. He was wrong on Sunday and he also got wrong the response on Sunday, as a captain. ”
Emery says he made Xhaka the captain and players respected his decision. So the so called ‘vote’ wasn’t quite a vote.
Is this apology going to be issued via a press release or we we talking the usual social media posts like Mustafi’s back on top?
It’s a joke if Mesut is captain tomorrow.
You’d have thought that it would be quite easy from a PR point of view to put this to bed if Xhaka was willing to. Release a statement through the club apologising for losing his rag but explain it that it’s because he loves the club and the fans so much yada yada and it it hurt to hear the fans boo him. He appreciates he was wrong and wants the opportunity to put right what happened on Sunday. It’s bollocks but the press would recycle it and forget the story in a day or two and move on to… Read more »
Basically Ozil hasn’t had the correct attitude in training but Emery won’t rule him out being captain tomorrow. Emery is taking us for mugs.
Left t
“It’s a joke if Mesut is captain tomorrow.”
Agreed.
It makes you wonder if the lunatics are running the asylum.
“Certain Man here saying Arsenal fans should apologise to Xhaka. ”
We should apologize also to Ozil, Mustafi and Emery while we’re at it… lol
TR7
“Emery says he made Xhaka the captain and players respected his decision. So the so called ‘vote’ wasn’t quite a vote.”
It’s a farce.
Tomorrow’s game will certainly improve our level, the team confidence, and the trust in Emery.
Just kidding!!
Meanwhile, Emery try to stop the boat from sinking :
“Unai Emery says that Granit Xhaka is “sad” and “devastated” after he was booed off the pitch by Arsenal fans…”
Left t
“Basically Ozil hasn’t had the correct attitude in training”
One would have difficulty believing anything that Emery or Raul say at this present time .
All very contradictory…dont you think.
But of course, he omitted to say that fans are “devastated” and “sad” about the current level of their club.
The man is a clown.
Josh was present at the Emirates Stadium and must have asked why the fans were singing Ozil’s song. He must have ordered Raul to sort this out.
It’s the tomato cup isn’t it? Yeah Özil can play, captain even. I’ve no qualms with that he has to earn his 350k somehow.
Please no AMN tomorrow. Thanks.
From casting aspersions on Ozil’s professionalism to now anointing him captain of the team ? Emery is cracking under the pressure.
In 2 months the transfer window opens, should flog Xhaka on 1st January, we might even get back what we paid for him.
The more I listen to Emery the more he appears bland.
He has finally confirmed he made xhaka the captain – this should settle the “the players voted him” mantra.
It’s high time this xhaka case is put to rest and the real problem (below per performance) tackled.
The big news of the day is in a few hours time I will have to leave sunny Tenerife and fly back to shitty old London
You are playing the mickey mouse cup tomorrow and you climaxing because Ozil might play and might tie a piece of cloth round his arms…..if he makes a good pass or creates one of those “chances” i fear for you.
Arsenal being taken on this farcical journey is getting a little sad really, like having a dog whose leg can’t be mended and she must be put down.
Ornstein can paint whatever picture he likes of stability with Emery seeing out the season, if Raul and Edu aren’t discussing contingency’s and weighing options they should shove off as well.
Emery’s English isn’t great (really? 🙂 ) so it’s possible what he meant to say is he endorsed the players’ decision, their vote that is.
RH
I would t play him, how can he , hes not match fit ..
He hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for 3/4 weeks.
The most he should be is on the bench and give him half hour to get some match fitness, as any sensible manager would with any player who has been out for a length of time.
Bad management again if he selects him.
Danny
What, £30m?
I doubt it.
Ishola and co,
Emery just cut short your laugh. He didn’t give xhaka rope to hang himself like you envisaged but actually believes in xhaka’s attributes.
Can’t believe this is the best gazidis could hire for us and Pedro was busy ass-licking him just because gazidis gave him audience.
#emeryout#
Graham62
————-
30m isn’t that much in today’s market.
“Please no AMN tomorrow. ”
And what exactly does it change to the fact that we’re gonna be slaughtered ? lol
“He hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for 3/4 weeks.”
Didn’t know they trained with a ballon
he hasn’t been injured or anything so he is perfectly able to start a game against Liverpool’s reserves
Receding
‘Is this apology going to be issued via a press release or we we talking the usual social media posts like Mustafi’s back on top?”
It should have been a media team generated play of words to sympathize about how some may have felt -remember it was not all the fans who were booing.
I acknowledged that the player may have strong feelings too and I’m not expecting a grovelling apology.
Issue something and put some closure to the whole show.
And we all thought Wenger was an elite liar. Emery came out to tell us that the players voted to make Xhaka captain, now he has come out to tell us he made Xhaka captain and the players respected his choice.
Then looking at all these events, I believe the guys running Arsenal don’t feel the club has an owner that urgently demands excellence.
Unless Raul and Edu begin to man up and begin to take quality steps people might start wondering if the Wenger one man show was actually a success.
Arsenal are presently all over the place through Emery.
‘Tis really fvcking obvious what’s happening at Arsenal. Emery is shit scared of every opposition hence his team selections and horrible football. Emery is shit scared of the players and he knows Xhaka is popular. Hence deferring the choice to them. Emery is shit scared of the fans. Hence wants to be seen doing something with the facade of the ‘democratic captain election’. Emery is shit scared of losing his job hence is so pussy and calculating in all of his decisions. To summarize :- Emery is pathetic and a shame to any man that has testosterones ( so excludes… Read more »
Says the guy who voted a fellow class rep because he was scared to hurt his feelings
Real tough dude leaking testosterone’s
Gentlebris
When you hire people, you have to give then the time and space to perform.
That’s precisely what Raul and Edu are doing right now. This Xhaka situation just complicates their situation.
I just read an unsubstantiated rumor that the player told his peers that he’s played his last game for Arsenal … rumors of course.
Pedro love to have a thumbs up or a thumbs down option on posts.
👍👍👍
Bandy👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
RH “he hasn’t been injured or anything so he is perfectly able to start a game against Liverpool’s reserves” you are correct, he hasn’t been injured . Its slightly ignorant to think that playing liverpool reserves makes a difference. Arsenal will also play their 2nd string so it’s level playing field and for you to think that playing away to liverpool in the cup will be a stroll on the park shows your lack of understanding . It’s very rare to see a player who hasn’t played any football whatsoever, to come in and play a full game. Normally it… Read more »
“and for you to think that playing away to liverpool in the cup will be a stroll on the park shows your lack of understanding .” Are you saying Ozil should only start “stroll in the park” games? “It’s very rare to see a player who hasn’t played any football whatsoever, to come in and play a full game.” No one mentioned a full game, that he may start doesn’t mean he is playing 90 minutes, you are all over the place as usual “Normally it would be, give a player a run out similar to Tierney, holding and Bellerin… Read more »
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1197187/Arsenal-fans-accuse-Unai-Emery-of-throwing-Mesut-Ozil-under-bus-with-Liverpool-selection
Yes they are already making his excuses for him just in case he performs as usual
I fancy the schleppers to give us the boots tomorrow. 4-5 nil.
Should be the end for emery.
What Emery doesn’t get also is our culture.
We expect humility and honesty, not the cry baby stuff , or hiding from responsibility.
His dithering shows all what sort of manager he is.
Unfortunately Edu was a softie as a player so there will be no hard decisions from him over this.
A soft touch club now .
I don’t give a flying fcuk if Xhaka apologize or not, he told fans to fcuk off twice and that all that matters. Xhaka is sub optimal and I would be delighted if he don’t play for us anymore because he not good enough for English football.
I hate this culture of everyone has to apologise if even one other person offended, it is asinine, Xhaka is a jag-off and an apology is not going to change facts.
Reciding
You don’t sound like a guy who can kick a crown cock let alone ever play competitive football.
That a player has been training for ages doesn’t mean he won’t be match rusty cos the competitive match tempo differs form training’s
I know you’re already jotting down the trash you will comment against ozil if eventually we are trashed tomorrow.
“You don’t sound like a guy who can kick a crown cock let alone ever play competitive football.”
Abi
“That a player has been training for ages doesn’t mean he won’t be match rusty cos the competitive match tempo differs form training’s”
Of course , that’s to be expected, so when do u suggest he plays? for the U23? The league cup is a game for reserves, players who have not had a lot of game time in the first team, sounds very much like Ozil no?
You do know it’s the league cup tomorrow don’t you?
“I know you’re already jotting down the trash you will comment against ozil if eventually we are trashed tomorrow.”
And you have gone one step further to exonerate him from any eventual trashing
Pot meet kettle
J really hope Xhaka stands his ground and refuses to apologize.
*I
I can see that all those who comment on here desperately want Arsenal to be better. What puzzles me is that they also seem to think that slagging off our players is a good way to achieve that better performance. The players are highly paid professionals but they are also human, and if we want them to achieve more success they need support rather than aggressive criticism. Xhaka’s objective stats for passes and tackles are pretty good so I don’t think he can be the complete waste of space that some people seem to believe. The problem is that the… Read more »
What some don’t get is that no one is saying ozil is our saviour.
If we have been punching above our weight then there will be no need for ozil but the reverse is the case.
Those guys against ozil should come up with the disadvantages of having him in the match day squad.
He is paid 340grand per week and
is leaving him out of the squad the best?
I don’t believe ozil could do any worse than those presently selected to play the cam role
“Please no AMN tomorrow. Thanks”
He wasn’t there against Crystal Palace.
“Pot meet kettle”
That’s your middle name.
If will we get trashed by Liverpool tomorrow, it won’t be because of ozil and if we perform better tomorrow, it won’t be because of ozil but the collective performance of the selected squad and the tactic adopt by your lord Emery.
Wtf so people have been moaning that ozil doesn’t get picked then moan because he’s getting picked against a good team Some people are weird as hell. They’re expecting a typically sub par performance where he gets swamped by superior opposition and that bothers them because they don’t like to see ozil outside of his comfort zone If we imagine we had any one of our best players from bygone eras out for the entire start of the season and they’d come back to full training and were finally fit for a LEAGUE CUP game that happens to be against… Read more »
Before it was mustafi, now it’s AMN, OZIL.
Before it was wait till bellerin and tierny starts playing.
God knows what the excuse will be again
For the record I predict we’ll win with a good performance and ozil will actually grab a couple of assists
All the more reason why I think the moaners are a joke
“God knows what the excuse will be again.”
You’d be surprised the usual suspects have their excuses lined up already.
China
You missed the point
Some already are saying let’s see what he will do tomorrow.
All I’m saying is tomorrow isn’t about ozil if he plays but about the whole team and the tactic adopted
My question to you is can ozil do worse than the shit we have been watching?
Raptora your post at 14:24 is spot on….
We’ve completely wasted two years of the post Wenger era. Now we have to hit the reset button again.
How can you perform worse than a predecessor who was described as a “senile old cunt”?
#EmeryOutNow
Oh dear oh dear, Chika aka “#EmeryIn” is in the place…
And he seems to have drastically change of side lol
No one here said let’s see what he will do tomorrow nor does anyone particularly care.
The whole rewriting of Ozils time here though is what’s pathetic.
Emery put us in this position. Playing Xhaka all the time is on him. Making him captain is on him- even if he did it via player vote… it was Emery idea As I said yesterday, you cannot teach speed, – Xhaka is limited physically to the league… just as Torreira is- and Ozil etc. This is all on Emery and the new articles about how Emery is saying Xhaka is sad and devastated and needs time with his family, etc is just horse shit to me. Xhaka can speak for himself. Emery is guilty of starting him all the… Read more »
Just hope these guys will put behind thehe fiasco of Sunday and give us a good performance tomorrow .
I think the issue on ground is not all about the results but more of the performances.
Edu and Raul should demand a style of play that is obvious to see.
Like Petit said, there is no specific pattern of play. It’s all about muddling things up and hoping we luck out the result.
Guns
What disgust me about Emery is all his talk about xhaka and nothing about the shite performance of the team.
He talks as if the performance is ok and it’s only the xhaka issue that is left to solve
Pierre, you popping up every time there’s a negative Ozil comment is the soap opera, not me. You not believing Emery’s words that the club decided together the Ozil situation is also the soap opera. The league cup is 4th & bottom of Arsenal’s priorities so it wouldn’t be against the decision to play him in low level, low pressure games, especially if they want to put him in the shop window., and if he plays well and can become part of the league set up again then all well and good. At 31 and unreliable, Ozil isn’t Arsenal’s future… Read more »
I can guaranteed that if our performamces get better, fans will forget the issue of xhaka and begin to sheer the performance.
DissenterOctober 29, 2019 13:51:19 Benny Sorry but what’s another silly letter to the Emirates going do at this point. Josh Kroenke was at the stadium and doesn’t need to briefed. I read that he met the team on Sunday. What else do the Kroenkes need to do after the last summer?…. buy every one in the stadium a pint or send a Christmas card to every Arsenal fan? >>>>> Dissenter, Maybe for some clarity on the direction we’re going on the pitch, the situation with Ozil and to address fans’ frustrations resulting in booing Xhaka because of a lack of… Read more »
4th is still achievable if Emery can put the team in order.
If Conte (though Superior to Emery) can do it, I believe Emery should be able to turn things around. Otherwise, we we have waisted two years of transition
‘I just read an unsubstantiated rumor that the player told his peers that he’s played his last game for Arsenal … rumors of course.’
Dissenter,
That would be so pleasant for both player and club, Xhaka can really be a star playing for Roma; that sort of place. And boy will the club really move forward without Xhaka.
This team, with a competent coach is a top 4 team.
Any opposiiotn to this reeks of agenda
*opposition*
This might be an obvious but how easy is it to actually have a plan B? This indicates that you must be in constant contact with a host of managers or at least their representatives. Arsenal tried this route before with Venebles . We didn’t get him and Howe very publicly resigned. I’m sure Arsenal sniffing around Managers would cause a right stir in the press. The lack of Plan B is very easy to attack a club for but the reality might be beset in difficulty. I’d assume if Unai is sacked ( he does need to go )… Read more »
https://www.arsenal.com/news/ozil-group-and-has-chance-play
For your guilty pleasure.
You’re welcome.
(lol)
Gentlebris
The Arsenal PR machine is proving just too much for Emery.
His brain thinks in Spanish. He has to try and communicate in a foreign tounge. he doesn’t really comprehend what he actually says and then we all wonder why everything is so fudged up.
No disrespect but managing in Spain and France is a doddle compared to the EPL.
Now we all realise just how much Ivan Gazidis fudged things up for us in the interview process.
Was it a deliberate ploy on his part?
I do wonder.
“His brain thinks in Spanish.”
His brain don’t think at all.
He
Paignton to Highbury a long way ,I loved it.When Stuart Huston was manager,I wrote to Arsenal.I said something along the lines.I don’t expect to win every Game,,but I cannot remember the last time I Tingled all the way home.I received a reply ,from Ken Friar.His reply,was diplomatic,but the way I read it,was change was coming.This satisfied me,I just waited.
Tee
You actually think that Emery is good enough to lead us to a top 4 position?
Wow!!
Every decent club have a plan B. That does not mean that you have already send a contract to all prospective managers. It means that you already have a shortlist of managers you would contact if things go to pear. You pretty much know their condition (salary, staff, …) and are willing to negotiate on that basis. But more importantly you already have a list of condition and restrictions you want to communicate to them. For example finish in top 4, use youth players in Cup,… There is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly with the current manager. Even… Read more »
Tee
I want some of the stuff you’re taking.
This petty abuse of Emery isn’t necessary though.
He’s not suited for the Arsenal job and needs to go, no need for insults.
“I said to him I haven’t changed my idea about him.
…
For example, our conversation this morning was because I wanted to listen to him about how he’s thinking now to help us and be with us tomorrow.”
Let me translate.
Good ebening, Mesut. I still think that you are a little shit. But now that I have pooped with Xhaka. I need a diversion. Please help me. I would even make you captain.
Valentin that’s why even if things don’t seem great right now the positives are that the club is in a better place overall in terms of structure. ‘Plan B’ probably was not an after thought let alone a consideration under Wenger and Gazidis.
If the right coach is installed things can improve very quickly not that they are at rock bottom just yet.
Think about it.
Liverpool/ MC/ Chelski / Leicester/ Spuds/
MU. Can we truly infiltrate top 4 with Mr Emery at the helm?
Dissenter
That’s why, from now on, it will be Mr Emery as far as I’m concerned.
He’s out of his depth.
Chris, There was a plan B under Gazidis, hence Wenger being sacked mid way though his 2 years contract. The problem is that the plan B is worse than Plan A. Also all the noise coming from Arsenal seems to indicate that there is no plan B. Emery is plan A at least until the end of the season. The club does not seems to have any appetite for a change of headcoach mid season. As Pedro alluded, there seems now reluctance to get rid of Emery and instate Freddie as caretaker. None of the names talked before are available… Read more »
“There was a plan B under Gazidis”
WTF ?? lol
Valentin
The season is still relatively young.
I can understand why an executive will wait to see how things pan out by say…January before pulling the plug on Emery.
I don’t think he’s lost the dressing room yet. The players appear to be coalescing behind their captain so maybe that unity will translate to a result.
The League Cup match against Liverpool is basically a reserve match.
Liverpool will put out their second string, Arsenal will put out their second string.
I see some fans are over-rating the match on here.
There will be no need to go crackers if Arsenal win the match and it’s not the end of the world if a lose happens.
The real heat on Emery turns up again and resumes against Wolves.
Valentin
I think’s is delusional to assume that any technical director does not have a plan B.
Maybe plan ….F,G,H etc are lacking, just not a plan B.
Plan B costs money and you have to be certain that this current [long term] deterioration is irretrievable.
How do you get a manager with a track record mid-season?
Is a flawed Emery still a better risk than an unproven Ljungberg? Those are the weighty options Edu and Raul have to contend with.
Dissenter, Both Aubameyang and Lacazette liked Instagram and tweets asking for Emery to be sacked and then deleted them. He will consult the players about the captaincy because he is afraid of their reaction if he strip Xhaka. Emery has already lost the dressing room. They don’t respect him and he knows that. They are in a holding pattern and but ready to openly rebel if he does anything drastic. Do you genuinely believe that Özil would be in the squad if Arsenal had won against Crystal Palace without the Xhaka drama? Bringing Özil into the mix is just a… Read more »
*I think it’s delusional
Dissenter, “I think’s is delusional to assume that any technical director does not have a plan B.” You would be surprised the number of business who don’t have a Plan B if the top executive mess things up. Football is not different from any other business. Most people don’t plan for disaster, they have a continuity plan rarely a contingency plan. Do you think that ManUtd had planned to hire OGS if Mourinho tanked? No they hired him out of panic because they wanted to placate fans. It was no long term strategy. Real Madrid had no plan B and… Read more »
Tomorrow nights match is irrelevant in the greater scheme of things.
Both teams will be putting out the reserves, so anything could happen.
We all remember our 6-3 victory in 2007 when Baptista scored 4.
Who’s to say it can’t happen again.
Stranger things have happened.
Valentin
You think the club is head hunting experienced management people to just come in drink tea every day?
Of course there are contingency plans,they just have to weight the choices far more than the average fan. They also have access to information that we only speculate about.
Valentin I’m far from convinced Gazidis had anything you could credibly label a plan, other than ride Wenger’s cost tails.
His last plan B appears to be Emery.
“If will we get trashed by Liverpool tomorrow, it won’t be because of ozil and if we perform better tomorrow, it won’t be because of ozil but the collective performance of the selected squad and the tactic adopt by your lord Emery.”
It will be because Liverpool are a better team.
A bunch of losers not respecting Emery lol, you can’t make this shit up, Emery should sack the lot of them.