It’s going to be a fairly quick post from me today, I’m mainly writing this now because I did a podcast with a friend who was over from London, check it out at the bottom of this blog!
Today was all about the battles Emery hasn’t really won. Namely, he had to drop Granit Xhaka from the squad after his captain refused to tow the party line and apologise for his nonsense on Monday. He also brought Mesut Ozil back into the fold after banishing him a week ago very publicly.
The starting 11 kind of looked interesting on paper, we opted for a 4-4-2, which looked 4-2-1-3 in transition. I think it was quite hard for anyone to really tell what the message of the day was tactically. The most glaring, ‘what the fuck is Emery doing’, was happening with Ozil. The manager in his ultimate wisdom had decided that he’d put LT in the #10 role, asking Mesut Ozil to drop deep and do the dirty work with the Matteo.
Name me a coach anywhere in the world that would opt for that as an approach without consuming at least 19 beers beforehand.
It was painful to watch Mesut drop deep and have to work the ball up the pitch, a task made even more difficult by a Matteo G having a seriously out of sorts day. The Frenchman had the type of bad game young players have, he couldn’t string a pass together and nothing went right for him.
In spite of the baffling tactical approach, we did score a goal and move ahead of Wolves. A Luiz and Chambers combo on the right found Lacazette who unselfishly teed up Auba for a simple slotted finish.
We weren’t really in control of the game though, in the second half, Wolves ramped up the pressure and found a breakthrough. The only part of this bitter taste was the subs. Emery tried to defend the lead this time by taking off Torreira and Lacazette for Gabriel and Saka. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but in this situation, I think we simply learned that Emery doesn’t have a clue how to defend a lead regardless of the personnel. That’s three leads in a week he’s spunked up the wall, two from 2 goal leads. He’s tried bringing on defenders and failed and he’s tried keeping things attack-minded and also failed.
The goal was typical Arsenal. A quick Wolves throw, Ceballos was flat-footed, Moutinho hooked an unchallenged cross into the box and no one was quicker to the ball than Raul. A total switch off that felt oh so familiar.
Emery reverted to type late on and tried to chase the game with the introduction of Kola despite having Pepe on the bench. A maddening move, but very typical of a manager who really is lost at sea without a boat, a paddle, or the depth of water to put himself out of his misery.
The game finished 1-1. If Leicester win their game in hand we’ll be 6 points off top 4, with them moving ahead with Chelsea. By next week, if we lose to Leicester like we expect to, we’ll be 9 points adrift… and to think, this was supposed to be the easy run of games.
Things are so bad, the stadium is half empty for a rare Saturday 3pm kick off. The fans, the players, and the media are all united behind the #EmeryOut banner. If you’re not, know that he thought the tactical approach today was spot on.
“It’s a bad result, but tactically it worked how we wanted.”
Imagine playing counter-attacking football against Wolves at home, conceding 25 shots and having your shots on target total doubled by them… then telling fans that have seen peak Wenger football the plan was correct?
He needs to be sacked.
This won’t get any better.
The biggest worry we should have as fans is what happens next, because I am speaking to far too many people that have been so brutalised by Emery… Mourinho tastes like an entree from Eleven Madison.
We can talk about that at another time, I think it’s a cancerous idea, but I absolutely knew this would be the byproduct of an Emery appointment… hiring him was like being bitten by a rattlesnake in the wild, semi surviving it, and taking refuge in a bear pit (hungry bears). Jose is part two, but I have to say, even though I know he’ll be bad… I’d take being savaged by bears if it comes in 2 years time.
I’ll have more thoughts on this tomorrow, but right now, I need you to listen to the pod I just did with Lee. He’s a season ticket holder and an away day fan. He talks a lot of sense. Enjoy!
Emery
#Emery out
Must
Tr4phy
I’d hate to say it Pedro but you were right.
Be
Sacked
I’ve never seen anything make so little sense than his management of this team. It’s baffling.
It really is like we have Manuel from faulty towers managing the team.
“It’s a bad result, but tactically it worked how we wanted.”
Omg he really said that ?? Lol Edu are you listening or are you here just for the money ??
Please Leicester, make it happens!!
Agree he has to go now if we still want to have a realistic chance of Top 4
Good Evening
The end is nigh
The end of Emery, or the end of the club ?? Good question…
I was baffled by his tactics today. I was talking to a colleague as we walked over the Ken Friar Bridge bemoaning the deployment of our midfielders and the switch while protecting a lead to two young wingmen. The bloke in front of me turned and said’ Why must you bring logic and intelligence into an assessment of Emery. Nobody can understand what he is doing.’
Emery is completely out of his depth and needs to be axed tonight
tick tock , tick tock, tick tock, tick tock….fade to grey
Please board fire him b4 january or well not even be at thursdays what a clown i can be a better manager than this clown
Your Comment leicester pls pull the trigger so that i can stop snoring. emery out!
Couldn’t fathom why Pepe was left out just as he was starting to show form ?
Edu always had that half asleep look about him, not a real fighter.
He will dither about this and allow it to get very bad before he takes any action.
I am not holding my breath.
How can a manager be so clueless, he makes fat Sam look like PeP.
Emery out! Mourinho NOT IN!
There will be a mass exodus of players at the end of the season if this goes on.Who wants to play for a club in this situation?
Ozil will truly outlast emery
The stay away crowd will bring Emery down.
The club sadly will continue to decline.
I really have lost contact with the soul of the club
I have followed from a youngster.
It’s sad watching this decline.
I have not got an answer there are so many thing’s
that are wrong with the whole set up.
And this starts at the very top .?
Looking at the end of last season where we failed to beat Brighton, C.Palace, Leicester, Wolves and Everton, we hoped this season with the change in players that we’d beat all these mid-table teams but after our last 3 matches where it’s just a continuation of the back end of last season, it’s obvious that Emery is the worst and therefore he must be replaced now, not latter but right now.
I would rather Rob Holding partner Luis at the back and Martinelli partner Auba up top to change things a bit. Give the youngsters a go in the league. Can’t be worse than what have already.
Emery out
Mourinho in!
Arsenal 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
Emery: “It’s a bad result, but tactically it worked how we wanted.”
Let this sink in!
Emery is clearly beyond redemption, he has to be sacked right away!
Bergkamp63
“I would rather Rob Holding partner Luis at the back”
Luiz has been an absolutely poor signing.
Yet again he was beaten like a toddler when Jota ran at him near the end of the match.
Luiz poor signing.
Emery needs to be ditched.
He’s clueless, you just need to look at what Rogers is doing at Leicester will lesser players and he’s been there for a shorter amount of time. I don’t understand what they’re waiting for.
Ishola
The real question is why Emery insists on starting him and the brawler in every league game, despite evidence to their averageness together. Even if Chambers and Holding are worse, there is only one way to find out and that’s by starting them too sometimes.
Due to the shambles we have predictably become- only 3 candidates for the job.
1. Jose
2. Rafa
3. Wenger
Any 1/3
no inexperience wannabees
no wallies
no yes men
no daydreamers
no circus acts
Proven heavyweight required.
****PROVEN TRACK RECORD IN THE PREM***
#Back on track with Jose/Rafa/Wenger#
Against Leicester emery will make a poor starting line and we lose 3 or 4 -1 , mark my words and should be emery’s last game in charge
Between Luiz and Sokratis, they ve made so many errors already this season yet Emery won’t even consider holding or Chambers.
Average and comical defending
No midfield cover
No link between midfield and attack
The real shock is that we aren’t 10th, but we will be if Emery remains till season end.
Distant legrover “The real question is why Emery insists on starting him and the brawler in every league game, despite evidence to their averageness together. Even if Chambers and Holding are worse, there is only one way to find out and that’s by starting them too sometimes.” Chambers isn’t good enough either. We have to hope that this French kid coming in next season hits the ground running and is some sort of young worldie. Holding has been over-rated. I understand that Luiz has done some things offensively this season but overall he’s been shit defensively and as CB that… Read more »
This must be how Man United fans feel with Ole. That feeling of no hope and inevitable failure.
Emery will absolutely shit himself at Leicester
Ten men behind the ball stuff expected from him.
Maybe he should surprise us all and just go gung ho there.
One thing is for sure defeat there and the fat lady begins to warble.
The club is so much in decline I’m beginning to question if it can be resurected. We simply have no identity of what we are. Yank owner and son, Indians, Brazilian CEO. And so on… We have no English input in the running of an English club it’s absurd. Dick is a total fucking disaster but an example of offshore business decisions. So many fans have packed up or been priced out. The fans that still go Are after a bunch of people who are paying mental prices and then don’t bother turning up?? Yet the club seem oblivious to… Read more »
Ishola
Its certainly possible Holding is overrated, but we haven’t seen him anywhere near enough in the league to come to that conclusion. I think he is at least better than Sokratis.
Plus it’s hard to tell what’s real and whats imagined in this foggy chaotic Emery world.
With what fans that are bothering to go to the stadium now the atmosphere is starting to get that toxic vibe again witnessed at the end of wengers reign. I see very little option for the board but put emery out of his misery. He actually looks like he half wants it to come lately he knows he’s out of ideas and out of his depth sadly
CG
How about Javi Gracia then?
How’s Watford doing these days btw?
And we get the predictable ‘But we are going to work to improve and continue our way’. What the fuck is our way?
Paddy
That problem extends to the team too. No veteran Arsenal through and through player to show and teach new and foreign players what Arsenal is about. So they come into this new massive famous club with it’s cool gadgets and beautiful valor. But it lacks a soul.
Why wasn’t Pepe put on?
Why play Torreira so far up?
Why Martinelli on the right?
Perhaps bringing in Freddie to join the first team coaching staff was Raul’s way of planning ahead ? Maybe after the way Emery finished last season, they had their doubts too.
Le-Grove an Arseblog calling for Emery to go. Surely we’re a Leicester defeat away from an Emery sacking?
Bring Wenger back.
Rafa Benitez.
Jose Mourinho.
Jesus H Christ. Things must be bad to mention those 3 names.
I’d rather let Freddie have the wheel until the end of season whilst we sound out a proper option.
I’d rather let Freddie have the wheel until the end of season whilst we sound out a proper option.
….
Agreed.
– Arsenal have won 25 out of 49 Premier League matches under Emery, won 6 out of last 18, won 2 out of last 9.
‘Improvement’ says the troll.
Straight from twitter:
“Chelsea are a side that lost their best player, had a transfer ban and had a lot of kids integrated into their team this season by a new manger – they are 6 points ahead of Unai Emery’s Arsenal who is over a year into his job and £100m+ spent in the summer window. Our anger is justified.”
DanielNovember 2, 2019 21:57:07 He’s clueless, you just need to look at what Rogers is doing at Leicester will lesser players and he’s been there for a shorter amount of time. I don’t understand what they’re waiting for. >>>>> First of all Rogers is a far more competent coach. Second of all Schmeichel, Chillwell, Soyuncu, Periera, Evans, Ndidi, Tielemans, Barnes, Choudary, Madison, Perez & Vardy really aren’t lesser players, not at all. This is a narrative being pushed to use against Emery, which isn’t necessary because he does enough to warrant criticism on his own without deliberately making out the… Read more »
Samesong
Told you, safe bet was a draw with Wolves having drawn the most in the prem this year so far. The narrow win was just my hope getting the better of me. We’re awful.
Also clear to me:
– Doesn’t matter who plays, its the approach and setup that kills us every game.
– The elite CM only achieved through dropping Xhaka is a complete nonsense.
– Dani Ceballos is the Spanish David Bentley.
Regardless of Chelsea it’s not good enough from Emery.
Everyone should realise this by now.
That people under-rated Chelsea at the start of the season is another matter.
Charlie
You predicted a win for Arsenal.
You were wrong.
Me being the clever bastard that I am and knowing my onions I predicted that this run of fixtures for Emery starting with Palace and ending with Leicester would be testing for him.
There ain’t half been some clever bastards. Lucky bleeders. Lucky bleeders.
Where art thou football sages?
As I said after the match, Emery got the set-up wrong, but I don’t think you can pin their goal on him. The goal was on Ceballos being slow and Chambers being a little soft. At the same time, a more astute manager would’ve gotten the set-up right from the outset and would’ve given us a better chance to win. This is why Emery is not the man to lead us beyond May. However, this does not mean that any of the unfair, unreasonable or overblown criticism of him from certain quarters has been correct. Not at all. At the… Read more »
I’m pretty sure CC predicted a draw as the most likely result.
I said a draw or a loss. But let’s be honest here; anyone of us can see that we’re terrible regardless of personel and that a team as good as Wolves were always going to cause us problems, but it’s not good enough and we should be able to beat them had we been drilled defensively with just the basics.
Ishola
Yea I know, thanks for your nothing input.
Who ever talked about eite CM with Xhaka being dropped Charlie?
Most can see Xhaka for the player he is immature and limited in aspects but most also see Arsenal are crying out for a senior leader to be brought to the club in the transfer market.
Dropping Xhaka doesn’t solve Arsenal’s midfield problems. Neither does re-instating him any time soon resolve it.
The only chance of redemption for that midfield is to go out and buy an additional midfielder at least.
bennydevito
“I’m pretty sure CC predicted a draw as the most likely result.”
It is just ironic “humour” that is all.
That these football sages apparently abound Le Grove including myself.
Benny We haven’t “regressed”. We finished 7 points better and one place higher last season than we did the previous. The problem now, however, is that Emery is always getting at least one important thing wrong — yesterday it was starting Xhaka, today it’s playing the 4-4-2 diamond — so he’s ultimately not getting the optimum out of what he has. Now, what he has isn’t that great, but he is making bad decisions, and these bad decisions are not helping the team. If he were to simply stop making these bad decisions — for example, if today he had… Read more »
Ishola
Skip me with your Xhaka fetish mate, I won’t replace your special sock as the outlet for your pent up frustrations.
The manager is the issue, period.
Arsenal have won 25 out of 49 Premier League matches under Emery, won 6 out of last 18, won 2 out of last 9.
Banford: We haven’t “regressed”
Why play Ozil out on the right wing though ffs? He was having to drop back almost into defence just to get the ball, a complete waste of his game especially when you factor in his performance against liverpool.
And playing Torreira as an advanced midfielder? It’s like Emery’s deliberately trying to be clever to make out he sees something noone else does.
Emery is like a breath of fresh air compared to how bad things were under Wenger
Benny
He didn’t play Ozil wide right. He played him in the hole. What are you talking about?
Charlie
You brought Xhaka up not me.
And of course you brought him up in a let’s not blame Xhaka style as you usually do.
As said Arsenal need to add to that midfield a player that is not currently at the club. He needs to be brought in from outside in the transfer market. They need to buy for that position. Prhaps even another.
This will ease out inadequates in the midfield that includes Granit Xhaka.
I said this previously as well, but to whomever keeps bleating on about Rodgers, Rodgers has a better XI than Emery has, and Rodgers may be a better PL manager. The latter doesn’t make Emery shit; it just means that Rodgers is a smart manager and may be the marginally better manager of the two.
Emery should of buried Ozil in a hole after that performance..
Listless, useless, clueless
For emery to come out and say the tactics went how he wanted , then SURELY that’s all anyone needed to see/hear to prove that he is not worthy of being given any more time as the head coach. The man is delusional.
He can’t be defended , it’s the end for him
How do you drop your £72 mill winger just as he hits form ? Why does he persist with this diamond rubbish ? It’s never worked. What is it with us and stubborn managers ??
Redtruth
“Emery should of buried Ozil in a hole after that performance..
Listless, useless, clueless”
Ozil is going to save us all.
Ozil is going to save Arsenal.
I just know it.
I do. I do . I do.
Bamford, Ok. Last season we improved our league position and points but only by a very slim margin. Everything else stats wise was worse. This season after 11 games we have less points and wins than last season, we are conceding more shots, having less shots of our own, can’t defend a gold bar in fort Knox, it’s awful. And as for your ifs – if my auntie had bollocks she’d be my uncle, well perhaps not nowadays with all this trans stuff, but you get what I mean. The point is Emery keeps creating too many if moments that… Read more »
Bamford,
I watched the game and Ozil spent large parts of it out on the right.
Edu
I agree that his deploying the diamond was very, very bad, and I also agree that his post-match comments are worrying. Deeply worrying. If he doesn’t see the error of his ways and soon, he will need to be replaced sooner rather than later.
“And of course you brought him up in a let’s not blame Xhaka style as you usually do“
No I didn’t. That’s how you read it because your world revolves around him, I said it because he’s not the difference between a good and bad midfield as is claimed. The difference is coaching.
Benny
I watched the game as well, and to the extent that Ozil drifted to the right, this was his choice. Emery played him in the hole behind Auba and Laca. The set-up was the wrong one, but he did not deploy Ozil wide right in the diamond.
Charlie
Arsenal don’t have the personnel to have a very good midfield including Xhaka.
It could be improved by a better coach the current personnel but most observers have noted that Arsenal have left themselves short in that department in regards quality senior players and experience.
Same as defence. Arsenal in this case have experienced players but they are past their best in Sokratis and Luiz.
Luiz has been a particularly bad signing in a defensive sense which should be the only sense that matters if talking about a CB.
Churlish “The difference is coaching.” Nonsense. If he had played Torreira and Guendouzi as the base with Ozil in front of them, our midfield would have been fine today. Not outstanding, but good enough to beat Wolves. And our organization in the 4-2-3-1 has been fine, as this is the same system he ran at PSG. The notion that he doesn’t know how to organize a midfield in the 4-2-3-1 is ludicrous. The problem today is that he went with the stupid 4-4-2 diamond, and that he made this stupid choice and didn’t correct it is entirely on him. Your… Read more »
Ishola
Yep. We have weak midfield options and weak defensive options. And we have a manager who continues to get at least one important thing wrong in nearly every match.
Pedro, can you add Wenger to your list of banned words for a week or two.
And to think I was having a debate on here with the likes of Un na nai about how important Mané is over Firmino and even Salah (to a lesser extent) to Liverpool.Mané is not only the all round star of Liverpool but he is criminally underrated. I call him the black Suarez because he never stops defensively and offensively.
I don’t supposed our management have a clue who’s next for manager.
I doubt they will react even if we loose next week.
The clubs a mess, we are not a force any more
Bamford10 “Yep. We have weak midfield options and weak defensive options. And we have a manager who continues to get at least one important thing wrong in nearly every match.” And a coach that isn’t good enough which means ultimately failure in objectives. People have said for an age that the Arsenal attack has saved the team. Now that attack doesn’t save it as often. If folks have said this that attack has saved the day before then it would obviously stand to mean that overall the playing squad has shall we say been lopsided. A certain area of the… Read more »
Banford
I love how I say “the difference is coaching” and you arrogantly attempt to dismiss that notion by using examples of Emery’s bad coaching.
Head coach of the debate team lady’s and gentleman.
*ladies
Spanishdave
There’s a smelly idea that Freddie will takeover as caretaker if we pull the plug. I’m not a fan of that personally.
Ajax manager getting anointed on social media it seems.
A couple of posters on here are desperately trying to emulate the last Japanese WW2 soldier unaware the war was lost……….even though they aren’t actually stuck in a jungle without a radio.
It takes some doing.
Look wtf is the debate about. EMERY OUT. There is no debate. He is absolutely clueless. He has lost her plot and is totally out of his depth. He has no idea what to do with the players and is literally making y up as he goes along. The pressure has gotten t to him and he cannot handle it. He is tanking the club. There is nothing to debate. Act like a big club sack him now get in Mourinhno.inyil the ekdnof the season so we get top four. EMERY IS DESTROYING the players one by one because he… Read more »
https://youtu.be/rzJy_CmeVH0
Churlish
Right, and by “coaching” I took you to mean his ability to instruct and train players to play in a position or system, not his decisions to deploy this or that formation or system. The latter isn’t “coaching” anyways; it’s “managing”.
And by the way, it should be “ladies” and “gentlemen”. Your grammar is embarrassing.
Bamford10November 2, 2019 23:22:50 Churlish “The difference is coaching.” Nonsense. If he had played Torreira and Guendouzi as the base with Ozil in front of them, our midfield would have been fine today. Not outstanding, but good enough to beat Wolves. And our organization in the 4-2-3-1 has been fine, as this is the same system he ran at PSG. The notion that he doesn’t know how to organize a midfield in the 4-2-3-1 is ludicrous. The problem today is that he went with the stupid 4-4-2 diamond, and that he made this stupid choice and didn’t correct it is… Read more »
Welcome back CG by the way.
I did not watch the game, but having read and listened to a few things now: diamond with Torreira furthest up top? What the actual fuck.
It’s like he wanted to set up the midfield in a way that would not make him look like the bumbling fool that he is. That’s regarding dropping Xhaka and reintroducing Ozil.
Fuck him. Don’t wait for Leicester, fire him now. I bet we have a better chance with Freddie in the dugout.
No coach could change the direction of Arsenal without a big wad of money, which would rule out Mourinho.who would be whining he hasn’t the players to succeed.
Man City 0 Wolvez 2……just ponder that….
“Right, and by “coaching” I took you to mean his ability to instruct and train players to play in a position or system, not his decisions to deploy this or that formation or system. The latter isn’t “coaching” anyways; it’s “managing”.“ Unai Emery is Arsenal’s Head Coach. Everything about his role, as is applied on the football pitch, is coaching. Benny just summarised your dim witted take. “And by the way, it should be “ladies” and “gentlemen”. Your grammar is embarrassing.“ Champagne Charlie November 2, 2019 23:33:40 *ladies Your attention to detail is embarrassing. So is resorting to remarks about… Read more »
I don’t care what anyone says; Freddie’s an invincible, an absolute club icon and legend, ALL of our players will play 10X better immediately under him.
Get him in, get Keown in too to specialise in the defence, hell bring in Adams as well, form s Coalition. Then talk to Vieira and get him on board too either as part of the coaching team or as the head guy.
Anything other than bringing Wenger back for god sake, or Bungle Benitez and especially Maureen ffs.
Red,
Nah. This squad of players is way better than this shit show.
———————————-Leno/Martinez—————————————-
HB/AMN———Chambers/Sokratis——Holding/Luiz———-Tierney/Kola
————————————Torreira/Xhaka——————————————
——————Ozil/Ceballos—————————Guendouzi/Willock
—-Pepe/Laca—————–Auba/Martinelli——————Saka/ESR———–
Yes, we could do with a couple of upgrades. But no one can tell me we cannot do better with this set of players at our disposal.
Eleven Madison… like any of us “normal” people know what the fuck that is (had to look it up). Pull your head out of your New York arse pedro and come join us in the real misery of London.
It’s difficult to coach any team when you are playing catch up football.
No, Benny, that is not what is happening.