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!
SUGA3
“diamond with Torreira furthest up top? What the actual fuck.”
No, it was a diamond with Ozil furthest up top. Torreira was one of the sides and got forward. It was the wrong set-up to go with, but it did not feature Torreira at the head of the diamond.
And for his next “tactical innovation”, away against Leicester, Emery will play Auba and Laca as central defenders, and move Torreira further forward as a striker (together with Sokratis in a 1990s-style little and large combo) as striker to take full advantage of his attacking skills. With Xhaka still receiving counselling for all the hate he received, Ozil will play as a regista/CDM, where he will reveal the full range of his defensive capabilities, and Chambers and Tierney will switch sides as full-backs because….well, why not? Brendan Rodgers and the Leicester team will look confused by our formation, but will… Read more »
ARSENAL TRUTH Arsenal 1 Wolves 1: The game against Wolves was another example of the manager’s scrambled thinking. Emery brought Ozil back into the fold simply because he performed well against Liverpool’s kindergarten defence in the midweek 5-5 Carabao Cup fiasco. His employment was at the expense of Pepe who was finally starting to show serious signs of improvement. The way the formation was implemented, a 4-4-2 midfield diamond, with Aubameyang and Lacazette playing as split strikers, looked downright odd. At times Ozil was playing at the base of the diamond with Torreira up top. Fine, you want Torreira to… Read more »
Based on what Arsenal Truth says above, I think people are mistaking Ozil coming deeper and the diamond rotating for Emery deploying Ozil at the bottom and Torreira at the top. If Emery actually set it up that way as the default starting shape in the second half — I really don’t think he did this — then he is seriously fucking confused at the moment and he is seriously over-thinking and over-tinkering.
I can’t believe how bored shitless I am of Arsenal again after only 18 months of Emery’s tenure.
I felt like this for 10 years under Wenger, the last 4 or 5 being the worst, but never imagined feeling like this again so soon.
Benny D,
That’s what I’m finding unforgivable at the moment.
We have amazing an array of experienced and youthful football talent, but the football is turgid.
Bd
“”Welcome back CG by the way.”””
Thank you Bd. ( hope the family is well)
And thanks to PedRo and the Le Grove Parole board for my release.
I am rehabilitated.🗣
Splendid day all round.
1.South Africa win rugby
2.The Clown exiting AFC in November as predicted
3.Jose coming in?
Let’s hope the lanky Brazilian ponce Edu gets his finger out this week and makes a bleeding decision.
I’m enjoying this. This is revenge after personally enduring 12 years of stagnation and being told to shut up and support the team…..loving it now.
RedtruthNovember 3, 2019 00:00:47 Man City 0 Wolvez 2……just ponder that…. I have. Man City outshot Wolves 18 to 7 and Wolves scored on their 2 shots on goals from two counters from the quickest player in PL. Arsenal scored first , which should’ve been advantageous since Wolves are a good counterattacking side, yet we still allowed 25 shots and 8 on target to ours 10 and 4. City lost to a sucker punch because they HAVE TO go for it every game to keep pace with Pool. If you can’t see the difference between the two , I can’t… Read more »
You’re welcome CG, and the family are all good thanks.
Groundhog day is back.
You stop watching motd.
You know the wrong lineup and players will be picked.
You know we will play terribly and give away amateur goals.
The Manager/Coach becomes obstinate and doubles down on trying to be clever.
Why you look at me?
Groundhog 2.0
BennyD,
It’s worse than Groundhog Day.
For the first time since I’ve been watching it, and I rarely miss it, we were the last match on MOTD!
Words,
That tells its own story for sure.
His game plan is the same as Wenger: keep possession and pass until the box. How many times have we seen Arsenal caught by the sucker punch. Football is a simple game with the aim to get to the enemy box asap. If you keep passing as Arsenal the cavalry will be back in time to foil you. This is the third time as asmany games the gunners have been unable to win despite taking the lead.2 goal lead have been squandered. Hopefully 3/4 goal leads can end up ina win otherwise Emery will be in a quagmire . As… Read more »
I was actually quite pleased with todays game as I thought we’d lose 2-0. At home to Wolves. So well done Emery.
He will be gone before xmas, although I have a sneaky feeling he’ll pull a lucky victory out the bag at Leicester, the dismal run will resume thereafter. The man is utterly out of his depth.
Bamford,
You’re having a shocker son. Throw the shovel away, you say IF in almost every comment regarding Emery, add all the IFS together and you may come to the same conclusion that 99.99% of Arsenal fans have come to, Emery is a dead man walking.
Yep, dead man walking sums him up pretty well.
Wolves midfield are blue collar work horses with some good technical ability. Despite our possession advantage we cannot stop midfielders who work hard and are sharp with their attacks
The first 15 mins wolves got into our box with ease
Something is really broken here.
Martinelli needs to play much more and earlier on. He does more damage from the outset versus being a sub savior
Guen is going to get burned out
Torreira and Ceballos were Doug exactly what ?
Ozil slow again in his passing and moving
Its a conundrum with ozil – he is a generation ago player trying to fit into the new era midfield we trying to emulate. Doesn’t fit
Doing not Doug
SkyAntonioRusso:
Whispers around the Emirates saying that #Arsenal board are planning to sack Unai #Emery if he lose to #Leicester City next week. More to come. #AFC🔴
Yea I read that too and they said Mourinho to replace
No please
Freddie needs his interim chance
Valentin Totally disagree with your “Jones stifling England” comments. England were comprehensively beaten by a stronger and more powerful Boks team. This in turn starved them of quick ball as well as possession. Against the All Blacks England won the scrummages and line outs and were superbly inventive in their backs’ play with some excellent individual pack runs. We had no answer to the Boks pack’s questions and neither would any other team on the planet yesterday. Simply put The Bok’s game management disrupted England’s game, especially the basics from start to finish – not just by their power house… Read more »
CG is back!
We’re you impressed by the calf muscle index on display?
Leicester midfield licking their chops…
Just watch Maddison and Vardy
The entire team plays as a unit
Emery is probably done even from Management’s point of view…. But even if we compare to the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and ManUtd technically, those teams had base of runners and ball carriers who are adequate technically and on both sides of ball to create balanced midfield, which we severely lack… Chelsea have ball carriers in Pulisic, Hudson-Odoi, William and Kovacic with runners in Mount, Abraham and Kante even if some may lack final ball all are adequate technically to hold onto ball and run enough to create space for others. This provides enough protection defensively and movement infront for… Read more »
Add Maddison and doucoure as I said and we will be much more balanced and better
Will cost $
A couple of weeks ago I predicted that come midnight 10 November, Emery would no longer be the Arsenal head coach. I still stand by that although it may take a day or two after the Leicester game for him to clear out his office.
I also think Freddie will take the reins until the end of the season. I don’t think Arsenal will entertain Maureen; that however is said with more hope than any real insight.
Benny ozil wasn’t on the right, he was in a free role and interchanged with everyone else in midfield, offensively, defensively, left and right
He didn’t stay in any one position for that long. I actually think his free role suited him but the midfield in general was very poor
I can’t believe xhaka getting bood is still front page football news. People really need to get a grip with this over dramatization of it.
You’d think from the relentless public outcry throughout the media that it was the first time a player ever got bood. Never mind booing happens on a weekly basis in the PL and happens 20x more frequently on the continent even flagaihst better players who are contributing more
But for some reason xhaka is this martyr. What a joke. Get a grip
Bamford torreira was the most advanced midfielder over the course of the match. That is beyond any serious contention
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/jose-mourinho-dines-arsenal-chief-20800649
Crud is this a sign
I really don’t see why we need to wait for Leicester to do us to sack the guy. If we win that game does that mean we’re not trash anymore? It just means we’ll fuck up again in the one or two weeks following
Rip the plaster off and stop dragging out in some false hope that a really poor manager is somehow going to become really good overnight.
Edu and Raul need to step up now rather than dither like some classic arsene/Ivan doubleact
I hope Freddie takes over give him a shot
This is not a defence of Emery and Arsenal’s performances this season. However, Arsenal have played 5 Games in 13 days.
Oct 21 Sheffield Utd
Oct 24 Vitoria
Oct 27 C.Palace
Oct 30 Liverpool
Nov 2 Wolves
When we discuss our midfield we have fairly limited and average resources
available and the situation has not been helped by what has been going on with Ozil and now Xhaka.
Guendouzi aged 20 has been overplayed this season and that has been reflected in some of his recent performances.
For the love of arsenal, can we already start a “no to mourinho” campaign? This guy won’t do us any good
Wolves had 25,shots.Watford had a similar number. This shows the porous state of the defence. Its the defence that wins games and trophies.
For me the stats are an indication of Emery’s tactical plans. Wolves could have won. If the defence does nt stop the opposition having somany shos and
Arsenal are unable to win, the Spaniard
will be skating on thin ice
CC,
You’ve been spot on today with what you’ve said and also your quoted opinions from other social media outlets.
I don’t even get annoyed watching Arsenal anymore. Going to the pub with my pals we’re all so flat and don’t expect nothing. That’s the worse. We already know what will happen before it happens. No system, no tactics, no flow very tepid and slow.
It’s toxic watching Arsenal in and around the ground.
Something has to happen soon and very soon.
Malaysian gunner
Actually it shows what has been going on all season in midfield.
The mistakes in defence resulting in silly goals conceded is a different matter.
Changing the formation constantly, the set up and personal – how can a team adjust or get used to playing a certain way.
The pragmatist he is, he must surely overly confuse the players with individual roles that utilizing the team as a whole.
The amount of money we’ve spent and also the players we have. If I was a coach – I’d play all the top players constantly, if it didn’t work then you’d know.
He seems to bottle or have one type of reasoning for daft selections.
He overthinks every scenario beyond belief.
Until yesterday’s game we have been playing mainly 4-3-3 formation and our
midfield is being outplayed in far too many games. That applies in both defence and attack.
Offensively our midfield has managed to score just one goal and provide just
four assists in EPL games this season.
Defensively it is equally weak and far too often overrun.
I’m all for emery out, but not at the expense of getting mourinho.
Or it could just be ironic as the most toxic fan base gets the most toxic manager in the world.
If it were up to me, get freddie to take over till the end of the season. I’m sure a lot of kids look up to him and we could see what he’s made of unlike the arteta signing.
Emery is clueless. Even the positive things we saw last season have deteriorated so quickly that I think they just might have been a new manager bounce. I don’t like persisting with managers who haven’t shown their style on what it could be at its full implementation. Emery is a reactionary manager and that is fully on show this season. That might work for the likes of Burnley but not Arsenal. Even Watford remove underperforming managers and so should we. And please stop with this Mourinho bullsh*t. We don’t need a washed up boring crybaby like him. We have no… Read more »
In normal circumstances as I have previously posted Arsenal would have probably waited until end of second season before making a decision on Emery’s stewardship of the club. The club has always been conservative in its sacking policies. However, as I posted yesterday recent performances could turn quickly into a crisis. We have currently the youngest squad in the EPL and the situation is not helped by what has been going on with three experienced players [Ozil, Mustafi and now Xhaka]. The next 5-6 matches may well determine Emery’s future. If we lose badly to Leicester and then produce relatively… Read more »
The thing is as much as I cant stand Mourinho can you see the kids taking the piss out of him?
TheIndependent were running win a story yesterday that the youngsters take the piss out of Emery good ebening.
Appoint him until end of season if he gets CL well that’s another matter.
Actually the more I think about Mourinho regardless of united will have something to prove. The coach situation ar chelsea messed him up. It’s all there to see
Benny Might as well bring back the whole invicibles squad in as coaches in some capacity…. We need to not fall the United way and bring in some old boy out of nostalgia….There are much more competent coaches put there who’d give an arm and a leg to come here so why do we need to put a rookie in charge in a season where we absolutely must get back into the champions league? Allegri Mourinho(short term) Benitez(short term) We need to not fall into the trap of this whole Freddie as an interim thing or bringing back Viera or… Read more »
Emery out! Just waiting for that yellow bar to pop up on sky sports news with Emery sacked rolling across the bottom of the screen! Hurry up and just sack the useless prick!
Wow seeing the highlights again. Watch Gunedouzi reaction to Ceballos when the ball goes out of play. Guen body language is telling come on! And the next thing throw on and ceballos switched off. And cross then goal.
Maybe I was a tad harsh on Chambers for the goal as the wolves players had the jump on early.
I feel stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. If the club continues with Emery we are doomed and if it replaces the Spaniard with Mourinho, we are ruined.
Ceballos awareness in that situation is weak. Also Tierney is not marking anyone as Saka is marking Mr T.
TR7
Can Mourinho do any worse? than Emery?
Samesong
Perhaps not but I can’t get excited by Jose Mourinho. He will improve us in some aspect but by the time he finishes up, my guess is most of us will be left wondering whether taking a gamble on Jose was worth it. He turns in to a vicious, vile and insecure man when things go awry and I am pretty much certain at Arsenal things will go awry at some point or the other. It is not going to be a smooth ride.
We want someone who can do better. Not bothered wondering if someone can do worse.
Lets try to wow Eddie Howe our way before doing something stupid like
Moaninhio.. !! He is level-headed and could easily manage Arsenal as his
next step..
Maureen doesn’t do short term.
Bojangles Obviously!
My question was specifically to TR7 though.
Fuck me. Emery has really had a bad effect on Arsenal supporters, Eddie Howe gets rolled out again.
There are many many options out there all better than Emery and Jose. Lots.
Arsenal however, are the gift that keeps on giving and they are actively trolling your support everyday. So expect them to hire Jose with Sam Alardyce as his no.2 and Arsene as fitness coach.
Emery out.
Raul out.
Edu…where are you? MIA.
Guns lol
Same song
I beg your pardon, I did not realise this was not a public blog. Carry on your conversation, I shall scroll past your comments so as not to butt into your private conversations again.
Of course, there is another major issue of soporific football style of Jose Mourinho.
Bojangles cheers
Reports suggesting Raul taking Mourinho out on dates haha
TR7
Maureen may be a short term fix but in 18 months time we’ll be in a bigger mess than we are now.
Short termism is going to kill us. We need to have a five year plan like klopp had at liverpool. Mourinho is gonna fall out with everyone in two and half years.
Bojangles
‘Maureen may be a short term fix but in 18 months time we’ll be in a bigger mess than we are now’
Most likely. There are many better candidates we can go for.
If Emery was to be sacked I wonder whether Arsenal might in short term promote Mertesacker to run first team alongside Ljungberg. Mertesacker may not have been the most skilful footballer but he is a 100 Cap German International and World Cup Winner. He is currently in his second year running Academy and he is an intelligent and articulate guy. We have at the moment a lot of very young players in our squad who will need nurturing something I doubt Mourinho will offer. One point about Mourinho which makes it most unlikely that he would become our manager is… Read more »
How many of these ‘so called managers’ are currently available if Emery were to be sacked if we lose against Leciester?
Arteta
Mertesacker( ES)
Enrique
Can’t think of many out of a job right now.
I watched the AV v Pool game today. It could have been 3-1 AV’s favour at half time. Villa certainly showed up Liverpool’s frailties at the back.
Benitez
Maureen
Interesting idea ES. I was thinking that Freddie would need some help. Let’s not forget when Emery goes, he’ll take his team with him. I imagined that Freddie could take over in the last couple of months of the season, it’s now looking like the next international break. Not sure if that’s too much of an ask. Who could take over? TR7 summed Mourinho up very well. He may be the pragmatic choice but he’s fundamentally toxic. What’s Benitez up to? The way he organised Newcastle and his experience of the PL might just be a what we need. Could… Read more »
Some of the closeup shots of emery gurning was some funny
A welcome distraction to the actual football
Right now I think allowing Freddie take over right now and seeking to employ someone like Keown for defensive coaching and fear factor would be the best options hands down. Fuck, hire Vieira as well, just for the hell of some one getting the Anelka treatment for mouthing off 😆
We are not making top four with Emery. It is as simple as that. The football is gash, his relation with the team are fubar, the fans hate him, the press hates him, players rip the piss out of him. If he stays, the only way is down from here.
I’m not advocating for any in particular as I’m not sure who I want yet, but Mourinho, allegri, arteta, Benitez are likely all available – and we could likely poach an up and coming coach from the continent mid contract for a few million as well which would greatly expand the list. Then there are extra wild card options like Freddie
I haven’t fully decided who I want, but I know I don’t want emery.
Samesong
Why can’t we sign a manager who is already in a job ? Signing a manager is too important a decision for any club to worry about £5-8 M extra it will take to prise away from another club a quality manager.
And oh. Happy Birthday Unai. Do yourself a favour and take some time off.
And oh. Happy Birthday Unai. Do yourself a favour and take some time off.
Hahaha
I do very much agree that keown needs bringing back as defensive coach
He made a back four of flamini, senderos, toure and eboue into the most watertight init in CL history. That’s nigh on witchcraft.
He needs to be given the keys to our defensive unit and told to go ham. It’s all his lol
Why can’t we sign a manager who is already in a job ? Signing a manager is too important a decision for any club to worry about £5-8 M extra it will take to prise away from another club a quality manager. TR7 I am all for that. And my comment on Mourinho was more out of desperation of getting Emery out then anything. I totally agree with the you and the posters about Mourinho. People mention Nagelsmann quite a bit. I’m just interested in seeing who people ideal manager to come in would be even if they are in… Read more »
All this BAMFORD guy says is “if this” and “if that”.
Makes assumptions about Emery’s thought processes and decisions based on probability logic. This is why you need to use so many “ifs”
hilarious
Ljungberg is undoubtedly a decent coach, but he does not have experience in running a club. On the other hand Mertesacker has been offered that role at club albeit at academy level.
Bringing in a couple of experienced coaches like say Bergkamp to work alongside Mertesacker might be short term solution until end of season.
There are not a lot of quality managers available mid season and as I suggested I don’t think Mourinho offers a solution working with such a young
squad. He will want a big transfer budget.
China,
My point exactly. Every time Keown does pundit work, he explains quickly where the problem is at. Quietly and succinctly. He really knows his shit.
At the same time, can you imagine for one second any of the players ripping the piss out of him? Me neither.
The Mirror is reporting that Sanllehi had dinner with Mourinho this week and that Emery has one or two games to save his job.
Arsenal my Hobby,Emery is destroying my Hobby.He will never master the Language in time.He has to go.
The funny thing is that what is required at the moment is not all that complicated, and this is why I would be comfortable with Freddie taking over. Emirates talks about “running a club” above, but the manager doesn’t “run the club” at Arsenal any more. Sanllehi and Edu do. All the new manager needs to do is select the right formation, select the right XI, train the team in certain patterns of play, train on set pieces, and keep all of the players happy and healthy. This is not something I’d leave to Bob or Joe — and definitely… Read more »
Watching Erik ten hag and his ajax team really is a joy. I would like him in the summer. Freddie should be enough to get the feel good factor going in the short term. That’s my preference anyway.
Shut up bamford
Don’t rate any newish manager high enough in that they will make us title contenders in 5 years time or even improve us long term…
Mourinho I do have time for even though it may end in shambles by 2nd or 3rd year….That said our young players will improve mentally if they can survive him and that will be huge for us long term….
This is unlikely here, but if anyone has a soft spot in his heart for Unai Emery and wants him to keep his job, go to Colney and stand out front with a sign that reads: “Drop the 4-4-2. Play 4-5-1. Rotate Laca & Auba.” This alone would pretty much save his job.
Pedro “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.” Back in may I was slaughtered on here for saying a similar thing . I stated that Ozil , in a European cup final , was asked primarily to shadow/ man mark jorginho. And now everyone are starting to realise what an incompetent fool he is.… Read more »
Bamford 10
Emery may not be a Manager like Wenger but he is responsible for running the
first team and that requires experience. Ljungberg has never had that responsibility.
Pierre
Except that Emery didn’t do what Pedro is saying there.
Don’t think we should care about the way we play football, beautiful effective football can only be played with quality players and needed balancing players throughout the pitch ….
Can’t agree Brooklyn.
As Daniel Taylor writes in the Athletic today, ‘ Mourinho’s baggage is not a price worth paying’.
Don’t see the United players benefitting hugely having survived the ‘Toxic One’ .
Emirates
Right, but running the first team is running a team, and he has run a team before. He has also been observing the running of the first team for five months now. As long as he is an intelligent, charismatic guy, he definitely could do it. Yes, he would need a couple of smart assistants, but he could do it.
No to Mourinho.
Jose M is an inspired choice as the next Arsenal manager Have no doubts. Have no fears. A London based Jose ain’t gonna be the morose hotel dwelling one we witnessed at Manchester for 3 seasons. He can still have afternoon tea at my London local -The Wolseley after training and then skaddadle off home to the family. Anyone who underestimates this man and his track record simply dont get people… This is history repeating itself circa 1975 when a ‘ washed up’ Brian Clough joined Forest Back in the East Midlands, a written off Cloughie ( scared from the… Read more »
CG
You’re back!! Welcome buddy!!