I think it’s pretty clear that Unai Emery is finished as Arsenal manager.
The players don’t seem interested in his garbled vision, the fans aren’t attending games, and the press are now hoovering up leaks and turning them into missiles.
Emery hasn’t helped himself. He didn’t learn anything from last season. He genuinely believed all his ideas lacked were better players. Now he’s backed into a corner, he’s sending not so subtle messages to Raul and Edu that he’s unhappy with his lot.
- Lucas Torreira as a 10
- Xhaka as DM
- Mesut Ozil as a deeplying playmaker
- Kolasinac to chase important games over Nicola Pepe
Even worse for me is there’s no repentence in his press conferences. He told the world that he thought his tactical approach was correct yesterday. We shipped 25 shots, and had our total shots on target (4) doubled by a Wolves team that play on the counter. Nothing epitomises the miserable vision of Emery quite like being pleased with the output of such a coarse game.
Lots of fans think he has the Leicester game to keep his job. For me, it seems foolish to give the manager one game to change his fortunes, if we’re at this stage of the season and we’re at that level of consequence… just bite the bullet and let him go.
The top 4 is well within our grasp this season, OGS is an absolute disaster and there’s every chance Chelsea will falter. I’m also unconvinced Leiecester will be able to navigate injuries to key players. Arsenal can’t wait until January to make the move, the only problem is this: Who do they hire to replace Emery?
We are on track to replicate the disaster-cycle of United.
Arsenal hired a middling manager in Emery, when they should have taken a chance on Arteta and football of the future. That now means that Edu, a man who doesn’t seem to be too adept at navigating the media, has to make a strong decision on the next manager. If he’s brave, he’ll bring in someone young who can build a competitive club over 3 years. If he’s weak, he’ll go two feet in to the ‘WE NEED A WINNER’, this my friends, will be mistake number two… and we are not big enough or rich enough to survive mistake number 2.
I don’t mean to sound draconian, but unless Jose Mourinho has had an extreme change of mentality, he is going to be the ultimate arsonist. Emery won’t last past Christmas because he has the charm of a bag of giblets. Jose Mourinho will fail slower, but it’ll take public sentiment longer to shift against him.
He’ll come in, say the right things, he’ll likely reinstate Mesut Ozil and shape us up. He could very well be the right sort of caretaker to take us to top 4. My worry is what comes next. We’d not be buying into a brand of football that could surpass Pep G or Jurgen Klopp. We are literally skint if we don’t make the Champions League… even if we do make it, we don’t have the sort of funds that are going to satisfy one of the most glutnous managers the world has ever seen.
We’d be playing negative football, we’d have a manager bigger than the club, and we’d be trying to rekindle yesteryear… because Jose Mourinho is Arsene Wenger but in 2013.
I can’t believe we’d go down that path, but then again, I couldn’t believe the club published Xhaka’s awful apology in the matchday programme. Where was club leadership there? Who signed that off?
… likely the same person who’d say, ‘I know the history, but fuck it, Jose will get us top4.’
Bit here’s the thing. It won’t take much to get the fans on side. The papers are already working the PR angle for him.
‘Jose has a point to prove’
‘Mourinho wants to add a 3rd Champions League title’
‘Hungrier than ever, Jose refuse jobs in Europe’
On paper, he’s the best available. He’s on TV for a reason. He’s getting caught in the corporate box because he can smell the inexperience in the Arsenal leadership team.
It’s not beyond Raul either. His contacts brought Emery to Arsenal. He interviewed a sacked manager that couldn’t speak English, boasting a poor track record with big players, with zero ability to build a defence, and thought damn, this guy is a sauce monster, let’s hire him anyway. He met 10 managers better than Emery and landed on… Emery. If you make a decision that bad with 3 months to play with (longer, because he’s been in the game 15 years and knew he was coming in with the Wenger replacement remit), can you imagine the disaster of him doing something in the moment?
I really fear this one people, I really do. It’d be the smelliest Arsenal hire of all time. He’s a saucy guy, I’d love to believe he could reinigorate his ideas and his approach… but nothing, and I mean nothing, suggests he’s about to do that.
The only thing that might stop Raul in his tracks is the reality that Mourinho won’t just bring the team down if it goes wrong, he’ll bring down everyone. He’s the ultimate footballing arsonist, and maybe he’s what Josh needs to really start paying attention to fixing the club in a serious way… namely, getting a blue print and working towards a truly ambitous strategy that goes beyond: ‘Get Champions League football’
Building an elite football club is not going to happen if you think season to season. We have to think like Amazon did in the beginning. Have a longterm vision with a specific vision of how to achieve it… then attack it in 3 year blocks. Don’t tell me Emery fit into any sort of longterm visioon of football, he’s an Everton manager at best and can’t even speak the language. Time for a rethink. Time to see if Edu is made of something deeper than incredible good looks and crisp white shirts.
The next managerial appointment will tell you all you need to know about who we now are as a club, and where we’re going.
If it’s Jose, brace for impact… it’s a statement that tells you we are going nowhere in the next 5 years.
DM
2
Pedro, you need to stop with the Mourinho thing. Like seriously, just stop.
If he was to (heaven forbid) become our next manager I will hold you personally responsibly, and I will never forgive you!
Tr4phy
Out of curiosity, does someone want to offer up a positive outcome of Mourinho at Arsenal?
I think we all know the likely car crash, but what could a reformed or peak Jose bring to us?
I say that because we’re not a moneybag side that he’s had ridiculous success with previously. How would it look…..best case scenario?
Curious to hear what people think possible.
Oh God, help the board to make the right decision.
We are presently at a crossroad.
My option will be to appoint Freddie for the rest for the season.
Before the end of the season, Raul and Edu should have done their homework to hire the right manager.
It is ever more likely now that Emery is on borrowed time. Is it his birthday today? Trevor Francis was sacked on his birthday!I would rather Benitez than Mourinho as a short term appointment. He would bring the defensive organisation minus the toxicity. I would also be happy to see the Mertesacker/Ljungberg combination until the end of the season until ten Hag was appointed if he was interested.
Champagne charlieNovember 3, 2019 10:54:28
NEW POSTTell everyone except Banford
😂 😂 😂 😂
Champagne
He galvanises the defence
Give the attack more focus and direction
I honestly believe he will leave us batter off than we are now and better than Wenger left us
Even if we win nothing he will give the young players the benefit of his vast experience.
The man wants to win. At any cost. He can gift that mentality to the players he leaves behind.
Dm
Take it to the bank
He’s the best guy
Raul was having dinner with him last night
He was in the directors box last week
Emery knows he’s a goner
What a failure man
He’s had PSG and arsenal and bombed with both
Back to mid table la liga
Won’t be sad to see the back of him
Said this a year ago
He’s the Spanish David Moyes
While the internet is rife with reports that Sanllehi and Edu are preparing the ground for a new manager, Miguel Delaney of the Independent wrote this this morning:
“Even after Saturday’s match, the word from the top of the club is still that there will be no movement until the end of the season. The present likelihood is that they won’t take the option to extend his contract then, but they still won’t take action right now.”
“At Arsenal, the fear is deepening that tactically confused Unai Emery is simply not up to the job”
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/arsenal-unai-emery-future-wolves-result-score-draw-xhaka-ozil-epl-table-a9182761.html
I think if Mourinho were to be appointed best case scenario for us would be a season similar to Man Utd in 17/18. A very respectable points tally that could land 2nd with a solid if unspectacular performance in Europe. Their season prior to that brought success in cup competitions, that’s of course not out of the question. Let’s be clear Mourinho, as outlined above by Pedro, could bring top four but whether there would be league titles or champions leagues is questionable. Weighing it up is it worth short term gratification for probably long term disarray? I would also… Read more »
Kroenkes people will most likely do the financials and not go anywhere near Jose, unless they can somehow limit his excesses, which I doubt, Arsenals board vs Jose….right….
Expecting a caretaker from much nearer home, and see how does. If FL doesn’t impress, and he isn’t going to do worse than Emery, other managers will be on the horizon this summer.
Could be good, but the only trouble with caretakers, the OGS and Stuart Lancaster effect
Just hope the board are relenting on their idea to keep Emery as far as the end of the season
James Benge dropping “sources from Arsenal” stuff on Twitter.
Says sources state Raul hasn’t spoken with Mourinho in years.
Fam…they literally sat next to each other 9 days ago against Vitoria 😂😂 Benge the new Orny dropping Arsenal PR.
‘The man wants to win. At any cost. He can gift that mentality to the players he leaves behind.’
Bless you.
If you go back to the end of last season where we were terrible towards the end and combine it with the start of this season we have had terrible form for a prolonged period.
There doesn’t seem to be a philosophy or strategy or any semblance of a plan to stop the bleeding.
He’s done.
Charlie,
I think we have top 4 quality and depth in squad except for midfield 2 role. CB’s can be improved upon but with the way Mourinho set’s up with midfield covering defense they should be adequate. Midfielders Guendouzi, Torreira even Xhaka are decent individually but poor at covering each other’s weakness.
In terms of spending power board and Mourinho will have to come in terms with each other. After that should Mourinho accept, it will be as a challenge to himself and a way to reinvent himself.
It has now been reported that Sanhelli have had dinner with Mourinho this week. If Sanhelli is really having dinner with Mourinho but do not discuss the Arsenal headcoach job, then he needs to stop it. He is getting sandbagged by Mourinho ‘s media team. Putting even more pressure on Arsenal to sack Emery and offer him the job. If he is discussing the headcoach job, then he needs to quickly trash a deal and bit the bullet. The more it drags in the public eye, the more Emery look like Dead Man Walking. Between Edu reluctance to make any… Read more »
Un Yea I get that, it would certainly be my hope. I just have issues understanding how it would necessarily go because Jose has always had significant financial backing and we don’t offer those levels. How much of that would eventually strain any reformed figure he’d present before the lid blew? Plus… does he ever leave a club with a handshake and their best foot forward? That seemed to stop after Chelsea the first time. Fallen out with Real, Inter, Chelsea, and United since. I think we need someone that all fans can rally behind, if Jose was appointed there’d… Read more »
Just wrote a post without having seen the linked Independent article, there is always the fear that this club, and owner will take the do nothing option for as long as they can.
But then again, if they were going to shift Emery mid season, they wouldn’t exactly be publicising it I suppose
Don’t see how the manager could stay on at this stage, at least at a functional, club with any degree of ambition
“‘The man wants to win. At any cost. He can gift that mentality to the players he leaves behind.’
Following is the list of players Mourinho signed spending billions. Not sure any of them is pulling any trees at the clubs they are currently playing for. ‘winning mentality’ stuff is nothing more than clichéd stuff the media likes to throw about.
Lukaku
Erric Bailley
Mikhi
Pogba
Lindelof
Matic
Sanchez
Dalot
Fred
Brooklyn I agree. If we hop into bed with Mourinho the uppers like Raul and Edu will need to do some iron-clad terms to contain any potential meltdowns. I’d go for Rafa personally with a view to making a concrete decision come the summer. He’s the exact sort we need, good coach, understands the league, communicates well, classy bloke, and importantly he’s done caretaker/interim stunts successfully in the last. That’s the smarter approach for me, Rafa until the end of the season and assess. If he does wonders then he can get a contract extension in the same manner Emery… Read more »
Nice Peter. So, my take on Jose, jokes aside. He’s still currently one of the most successful managers working in the world at the moment. His record is exceptional. He’s scary, a brute, a bully, great with the press and saucy. However, he’s on the down slide big time. However, perhaps this appointment could be the reinvention for both Jose and Arsenal. He does have a point to prove. He does have to change his approach. He would LOVE to take Arsene’s Arsenal and do what Arsene couldn’t. That would be the ultimate FU to Arsene. This is a death… Read more »
I get that people want change and results, but I remain a hard ‘no’ on Mourinho. He didn’t do well at United, he fell out badly with players, he isn’t known for bringing young players along, and he wouldn’t fit in with Edu’s vision or with Arsenal’s overall philosophy. Even Freddie as caretaker would be a better option, in my opinion.
Happy birthday Unai Emery, it’s not an enviable situation of you put yourself in his shoes.
Wish him success when we do finally part ways, nice guy, just not a good fit for Arsenal at all.
Given that Mourinho appointeents always end in acrimony and a sacking, if he got it he would merely be a sticking plaster. What is record on bringing through youth? Terrible, he always favours the big spend to solve problems – Fred anyone? But what is worst about even the idea of hiring a coach whose peak years are already a distant memory is the softness and willingness of the hierarchy to be seduced and misled…. Yet again. We are being told how Raul was impressed with Mourinho’s diagnosis and remedy of the existing flaws. An Emery mark 2 conversation, in… Read more »
Bam
What exactly is edus vision or arsenal for that matter? We’re soulless and rudderless.
Jose isn’t right, but selling our soul might be the only way we start moving forward again.
If Raul appoints Mourinho then for me he is just another Woodward – easily influenced by media chatter and optics and incapable of doing his due diligence. Apparently he was impressed by Emery’s knowledge of our players and their plans for them and now he gets the same impression from Mourinho.
TR7, Lukaku, recouped money second highest scorer in Serie A. Eric Bailley, injury porne quite shite, fair enough Mkhi, 28 million, no loss decent player decent value, got Sanchez in return Pogba, worth more than when bought, mainstay in their team Lindelof, worth more than when bought mainstay in their team Matic, did good job for 2 season finishing 2nd winning Europa league as mainstay in CDM, good buy now old. Dalot, good young RB, would love to have him as competition to both Bellerin and Tierney, 18 million? Sanchez, desperate only available option during Jan window, got rid of… Read more »
‘we don’t have the sort of funds that are going to satisfy one of the most glutnous managers the world has ever seen.’ Nonsense. Pep G inherited a rich team but had to go heavy on the market. Now if we had a chance to sign Pep, would you use that against him? Klopp insisted on a £75m defender and a goalie close to same amount. Would you use that against him if we had a chance to hire him? Jose is not stupid. He’s very much aware of Arsenal’s financial limits, and if he wants the job then he… Read more »
Jose Mourinho is a good coach no doubt about it. The major problem Arsenal is facing right now is the midfield. For any coach to do well in English football, he must build perfectly his midfield. When Jose Mourinho was absolutely doing well with Chelsea FC, watch carefully the combination in his midfield. Lampard, Makelele, Mikel, etc. Pep Gardiola did well in Barcelona FC because he has the right combination of midfielders. The likes of Xavi, Bosquet and Iniesta. Pep is still doing well in England right now because he has the right midfielders to play the kind of possession… Read more »
Agree with your overall sentiment Pedro, but using Amazon as an example of how things should be done is just irresponsible.
Just as much as emery is to blame so is the board when they appointed Emery. Arteta was favourite but the rumours coming out were he wanted a say on transfers and wanted certain players out (Ramsey, xhaka and mustafi) – also he wasnt a popular figure with some players during his time as he wasnt afraid to be vocal at half time and at full time – hence delaying matters Emery impressed the board with his “knowledge ” of the team and said changes were not needed Emery was never good enough – he made winning at psg a… Read more »
The Mourinho idea is scaring the shit out of so many Gooners, including me, and so we would be well advised to remember Goebbels’ tenet, Tell people something enough times and they will believe it.
FFS, STOP TALKING ABOUT HIM!!!
Focus on and write about the Ljungberg/Mertesacker option as a feasible short-term solution.
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guns I think Mourinho is just as likely to bring disaster as he is to bring short term results. There are other options, better options for Arsenal. As for what Edu and Sanllehi’s vision is, they have said a few things about this publicly and you might review their remarks. It definitely involves preserving the club’s association with creative, attractive, attacking football. It also involves building up an excellent academy and bringing young, exciting players along and into the mix. It also involves incorporating a more modern approach to tactics, defensive structure. It likely also involves an emphasis on athleticism… Read more »
Like le grove, i found Unai to be a toatally underwhelming appointment at the time (another mess left behind by Gazidis). His communication has been so poor.
Mourinho would be an awful, expensive, divisive appointment.
If Unai does go soon, ideally there needs to be a caretaker in place whilst we assess other managers. I see Allegri’s name but would the football be decent? Would he be well matched to our squad full of promising youngsters? Would he/backroom staff not be high cost?.
Why isn’t Ten Hag name being mentioned? Exciting football, young, works well with young players…
Peter.
Good post.
One flaw
Chelsea won’t falter this season lumpy made them a good team.
A sensational super Sunday Post by the continually excellent PedRo- And I off course thank him for it. But- he overthinks too much, in this instance Jose M is quite simply a footballing coaching genius. If the legendary Sir Bobby Robson fancied him- he is good enough for me. Up there with the all time greats. And he is on the cusp of joining Arsenal. We are at the lowest ebb – I can ever remember not only do wee need a man of charisma, charm and footballing intellect to rescue us. We need a bloody psychologist to boot. Only… Read more »
Brooklyn
You are judging most of the signings made by Jose in terms of what they will fetch in the market now. Transfer market is crazy. KDB and Bernardo Silva are far better and consistent players than Pogba and cost half of what Pogba did. Some club still spend a fortune on him but he is not a top player. Fred was a disaster of a sighing. Similarly Inter might have paid good money for Lukaku but he was never more than a C grade striker.
Mourinho is a car crash waiting to happen. I agree with CC, Benitez looks a much saner interim appointment. To me, going for Mourinho smacks of doubling up on a losing run – attractive if all works out but potentially leaving us in a worse state.
To be honest, I can’t stand Mourinho and his appointment would be a real struggle for me. My non-Arsenal supporting mates would take the piss just to rub it in.
I don’t particularly like Mourinho, but I have seen enough of these new Pep Wannabe managers to not rate them.
Only Tuchel and Rodgers have some redeeming qualities but seem to lack in some department.
After that options like Benitez, Mourinho, Allegri and the likes tested consistent managers along with quality of our squad makes me support hiring of these old fools.
If Jose comes in we will sell the yoot to fund his project millions.
If we end up nine points behind Leicester next Saturday, maybe board will feel they need to do something about the head coach. Then again, they are also very likely not to do anything until the end of season, hoping that Emery might get us into CL via Europa League.
CG is back!
My great friend is back!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘Sauce monster’ made me laugh out loud.
The problem I have with Benitez is that despite a great coach, he is also a poor man manager. So he may not solve the clique issue that is plaguing our squad. His treatment of Alonso lead him to want to leave. Same thing with Steve G. I am not sure that we can afford to alienate any of our current senior players. The second problem is that his idea take time before they are effective. He is not the guy who will create an electroshock and immediately get a response. He said so himself, he need 6~8 weeks before… Read more »
G of H
“””” Q) What exactly is edus vision or arsenal for that matter?””””””
A) take the cash and pray you dont get rumbled.
Edu- the passport dodging,platitude speaking piss -taking patsy.
The great thing about hiring Mourinho- we wont need a bloody Teck Deck.
What does the man do ?( Edu?)
Interesting to see support for Mourinho, says more about the person supporting him than the man’s capabilities. For me it’s like a club appointing Wenger with the idea that he was going to replicate his best from 15-20 years ago, ignoring his dec line and lack of awareness. The idea that he’s going to return to his ‘Chosen one’ days, ignoring his ‘Toxic one’ persona of recent years is ridiculous. The ‘he’s got something to prove’ argument is also specious. His ego is enormous, for him to return to his great years, if that is even possible, would require him… Read more »
Who ever we get in needs to build and restore fans belief.
15 years after the dream move.
We have a bigger white elephant stadium, deleted up to our eyeballs.
Owners and s boardroom that are so far removed to knowing how to run a football club we are doomed.
How to ruin a club in 15 years.
God I wished we had stayed at Highbury.
Footballs dead.
Well Arsenal’s football is.
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
And that sums Emery up .
It is a shame that we sold Bielik this summer, because right now against Europa League opposition, we could have groomed him.
He has the physical quality that we lacked. He has also the mental characteristics that we need: strong will, does not fold in the face of adversity.
With Xhaka surely gone in January, we will have to spend money to find a replacement. In the meantime, we are short of one physical DM until at least the winter TW.
hello GBris
Thanks.
Back on Track with Jose?
Zaha and Lukaku on the way,???
lousie in a 3 at the back?
Ps. How is the little one?
‘To be honest, I can’t stand Mourinho and his appointment would be a real struggle for me.’
Same goes for most of the guys rejecting Jose. Personal stuffs being voted ahead of football legendary.
A lot of guys here talked shit about Jose in the past, so I can understand the difficulties in accepting same man.
But the facts still stand up, Jose Mourinho is a legend in football coaching, and he is here wanting the job.
You can’t say Arsene is a manager of bygones era and then at the same time say ‘if you want results, you hire Mourinho’.
I wouldn’t go for Mourinho, but there are two justifications in his favour: 1) Would confront the defensive nonsense that’s been going on for 10+ years (if he’s at the club next summer, it might give Saliba a chance to thrive, rather than the inevitable collapse into nothingness); 2) He’d be highly motivated to make the project work, meaning not burning the place down when the first thing doesn’t go his way, because we offer his only remaining chance to manage a big club in London where he can live at home with his family (he admitted the situation in… Read more »
Valentin, I’m sure there would be a positive response from the team in the first few weeks of any appointment. If it takes 6-8 weeks for coaching ideas to kick in, then that’s potentially when the honeymoon effect would be wearing off. Pretty sure the Newcastle players appreciated him so the falling out with Alonso/ Gerrard you mention, may be an irrelevance.
The main thing with Mourinho is to carefully make sure that he has the assistant to keep him happy and in check.
Also his initial contract should be for until the end of the season with some drastic clauses. Any not met could lead to dismissal without or very low payout payment.
– top 4 at a minimum
– use of youth team
– no encroaching on other people’s department (recruitment, medical, …)
– public behaviour standard (no insult, no assault, …)
– …
What are the alternative options other than Benitez mourinho?
. Experienced hands that can handle the EPL, deliver tip four minimum and can handle the pressure.
If you are suggesting experiments like Arteta or Viera, how long will be their contract if you are in a position to do so?
At the end of the day we need someone that can implement Arsenal’s philosophy long term else we will become another accident waiting to happen just like Manchester United are currently.
Gentlebris, can you not accept that Mourinho’s best days are behind him? The idea that he is suddenly going to become the saviour of AFC is wishful rather than realistic. Can you ignore the negatives of the man?
Right now almost any coach feels like a saviour compared to Emery.
Valentin, your list of clause highlights the bizarreness of choosing Mourinho.
I don’t think Arsenal have the balls to sack a manager during the season.
They should at least advise Unai on playing with a settled formation and team. Play players in their best positions and stop trying to be too clever. A clever man makes life simple for himself.
This isn’t a blip we’ve been woeful for months now.
‘You can’t say Arsene is a manager of bygones era and then at the same time say ‘if you want results, you hire Mourinho’.’
Let us check that out:
EPL: Arsene 3, Jose 3
CL : Arsene 0, Jose 2
League titles in Europe: Arsene 0, Jose 5
Age: Arsene 70 , Jose 56.
And the most relevant to your assumption:
Last won title: Arsene 2004, Jose 2015.
Not same prospect.
Jose , if he were taken on, would presumably be without his trusted number 2, Rui Faria. Some managers are not the same without their assistants
Wonder who is proposed backroom staff would be, perhaps including somewhere an Arsenal great to win over fans?
Bob16, Benitez always been very aloof with his players. He is a hard task master who does not do any sentiment. I can see him upsetting Lacazette or Aubameyang and causing a stir within the camp. Also I am not sure that his treatment of Özil would bring the best of him. In my opinion Alonso is a much stronger mentally human being than Özil and he admitted feeling stressed and angry under him. At Newcastle the players were in awe of his CV, that would not be the case at Arsenal. Yet even at Newcastle there was some grumbling… Read more »
I can see us beating Leciester for some weird reason and the cracks being papered over for a few weeks at least.
It’s funny not heard any posters mentioning Arteta as a possibility.
If you want fans completely by Arsenal’s side , you don’t hire Mourinho simple as that. A fanbase divided will not help the atmosphere as it is. How hard is it to find a manager that fans can be united with from the start?
Bob16,
Most well run clubs have those clauses. Even ManUtd had those clauses in Mourinho initial contract. Naively enough Ed Woodward removed them in the second contract. Raul just need to be more savvy than Woodward. That should not be very difficult.
Divine The fanbase will be always split on any manager that is chosen in my opinion.
Okay Valentin, you have reservations about Benitez but in a caretaker role with Freddie given a degree of power I think he would be more conciliatory in style. Just a guess mind you!
You could suppose argue that Mourinho would also be on his best behaviour!
4-2-3–1 looks to be the way to go for me. I’m not comfortable with our CB pairing but Unai has settled on them clearly.
I always thought the diamond was a way to help Xhaka but it just leaves him exposed.
Arsene’s management seems out of date due to arrival of defensive diligence of Conte, Mourinho, Simeone etc, possession and geggenpressing football of Klopp, Guardiola etc. and in-between’s who seem to get better of Wenger’s team. Even then team’s quality is directly responsible for result regardless of manager even though manager are important in giving structure to a team. Had Wenger allowed a quality DOF to handle in and outs of quality players he would have had better results then he did during second half of his Arsenal tenure. Conte, Simeone are still considered successful so no reason to believe Mourinho’s… Read more »
‘Gentlebris, can you not accept that Mourinho’s best days are behind him?’
Bob N16,
Where are you drawing that opinion from?
The last job Jose did was United, he won trophies there and made them 2nd behind Citey(a place they could only see in dreams now). Just before that he won the EPL with Chelsea. So what informs that his best days are behind him?
There’s no argument that Emery is not finished at Arsenal. Personally my gut feeling is the club will give him the Leicester match and then use the international break to do the deed. I also 100% agree that Mourinho would be a bad decision. What I do have a major issue with is Pedro’s re writing of history and making unfounded judgement calls that reek of an agenda. Every angle Pedro approaches at the moment seems to be either coming from “the ones who didn’t appoint Arteta before” or “the ones who aren’t going to appoint Arteta now”. Sanllehi is… Read more »
Charlie
Also. He’s won’t the league at every stint, at every club he’s been bar United where he finished second and won the Europa
If he replicates that for us in two seasons and leaves on bad terms I won’t mind. How many managers leave in good terms anyway?
Graham, Rioch and Wenger certainly didn’t
Ok time for a reality check. This club is in a full on crisis right now. Freddie is a great idea from your keyboard but is highly unproven and just as likely to tank as to get it right. There is NO time for for three years plans right now. We need Champions League THIS YEAR. Not next year or in three years time. This is no time for taking that large a chance, vision or no vision. Freddie must at all costs be part of the deal to bring Mourinho in. Jose should not be given longer than 18month… Read more »
“I think Mourinho is just as likely to bring disaster as he is to bring short term results. There are other options, better options for Arsenal.“
Have yet to read a list of these other options outside of Freddie. So many instead of continually dismissing a growing idea you might provide some substance at which you can be judged yourself.
Freddie isn’t “other options”, he’s one man. So let’s hear them all.
Mourinho is a force of nature, you might say, he’s a disruptive figure but one think for sure is he’ll bring the winning mentality back to the club. We’ve been clamouring for the winning mentality since 04 and Emery isn’t the answer. Emery is a probably good with player analysis but other than that, he is just a mediocre manager. Emery has a decent squad right now, with Bellerin and Tierney coming back, we finally have some reliable full-back right now. Pepe and Ozil are losing their confidence with some of those mind-baffling tactics but hopefully, this someone we bring… Read more »
Mourinho is not only finished but people calling for him are forgetting a couple of things.
1) he’s a cheque book manager who spent £360 million to get ManU into 2nd.
2) whenever he’s gone to a club and won the league he’s taken a team that was almost there and made a few tweaks.
Arsenal are not a cheque book club and we’re no where near challenging for the title.
Manager like Mouinho, who has been there done that and have pedigree need full backing. He won’t accept any contract below 3 years .
Smudger
“””Wonder who is proposed backroom staff would be, perhaps including somewhere an Arsenal great to win over fans?”””
Cesc Fabregas
Marc,
Precondition for Mourinho to join will be that he won’t have as much to spend as his previous clubs.
Emery clearly has to go today (Happy birthday! There’s the door.). But I don’t think it’s smart long-term planning to think of a November hire as the manager to move the club forward, since you are limited to the small pool available. There are more and better choices in June. I think CC’s general plan is correct, although I am not sure if Rafa is the guy. Right now, bring in someone who can organize the team, tighten up the defense, restore the team’s confidence, and objectively evaluate the players for Edu and Raul. Then, in June, pick the long-term… Read more »
Valentin I think you’re reaching re: Benitez, we’re talking about a 6 month role where results are the primary issue. Your tales of cliques is a speculative one at best, football clubs have them no matter the manager. What Rafa has going for him is success in England, success in the aspects of the game we struggle with, and success in the literal situation of a mid-season patchwork effort. His Liverpool side were excellent, his Newcastle side were well organised by the actual definition of the word and not Banfords, and he rocked up a Chelsea as caretaker manager (a… Read more »
CG
Get the banner out mate and sound the alarms, Rafa Benitez is the choice of the people.
Enrique, Brendan, Nagelsman,Favre etc. are more viable options and I am sure there are others too. Mourinho will be a lazy and disastrous appointment.
A couple of thoughts: 1, AFC currently has the most promising crop of academy talent gaining first team playing time with an often mentioned commitment from the leadership team to give youth a chance. 2. Raul is a career Barcelona boy and no-one dislikes Jose more than Barcelona folk 3. Top end managerial appointments never get made in general public view. Recent hospitality shouldn’t be mistaken for something else. 4. The ‘source’ for most of the Jose nonsense is Duncan Castles, otherwise known as Jose’s rimmer. Seriously do you think AFC are looking to replace Emery with JM bearing the… Read more »
Bob16, I have as many reservation about Benitez than Mourinho. I just think that having Mourinho on a short term deal end of the season or end of next season and then reassess would be the better option. Whatever the choice, Arsenal has to Get back into the Champion’s League. Because when you look at the number. It is really get Champion’s League football or bust. Last season, we made an operational loss. This year by all account we are going to make another operations loss aggravated by the outlay spend on players. We have also committed spending for the… Read more »
Jose and Cesc at the Arsenal podium next week being announced as no.1 & no.2
would unite the Arsenal fanbase like NO other candidates out there.
Cesc to take the reigns in 5 years
easy peasy job done!
Cha Cha
“”””Get the banner out mate and sound the alarms, Rafa Benitez is the choice of the people.”””
Huge fan Of Rafa too.
Go with the Proven Performers.
But Jose back in London with Cesc as his No.2 is the Answer, in this instance
I’d happily take arteta over mourinho right now. But if we are going for winners then there is nobody available on Mourinho’s level. In fact the only person on that level, available or otherwise is Pep
I don’t for a second see Mourinho joining anywhere on an “until the end of the season” basis. Just not the sort to do it, he’s a 3-year contract man plain and simple. Mourinho for half a season is fantasy.
That’s the issue we face with a mid-season appointment. Availability. Name whatever manager you like but there’s a better-than-good chance he’s in a job and won’t come out.
The handful out of a job or gettable are a mixed bag of awesome (Allegri), dangerous (Mourinho), short term (Rafa, Freddie, Per….Henry 👀 lol)
Champagne Charlie,
Benitez has a contract in China. Getting him out of his contract would take time and money. As the league finished soon, it may be easier, but I doubt that it will be cheap.
Adding the fact that he needs 6~8 weeks to have his ideas in place. I don’t think that it is worth doing that for till the end of the season or end of next season appointment.
Agree with CG, Gentlebris and Valentin. The idea that somehow Jose will not have learned or evolved is laughable. This is in many ways the perfect project for him. He is very very suited to managing a London based club due to the fact he lives here with his family. He has been studying Arsenal for a while now. Probably already knows how he wants to play with the available players and also where he wants to strengthen and contrary to what alot of people are saying we are only about two or three players from winning the league. I… Read more »
Samesong
I dont believe so . If you hire someone like Chelsea did with Frank Lampard , the fans were totally behind him from the start . Even Ole had fans all over supporting the hire . We just need someone we can totally back from the start . Arteta or Viera or Jardim or Freddie , someone who is not a scumbag like Mourinho.
TR7, Enrique has been average to bad outside Messi FC. Rodgers I won’t mind for 3 years contract, similar condition as Emery, get CL, he can do it. Don’t think as of now he has higher ceiling than CL qualification, although winning league even Scottish one will help him taste league success and bring some change mentally. Nagelsman is decent choice, irrationally don’t think he is for Arsenal, just started managing Leipzig, won’t move. Wouldn’t mind. Will watch Leipzig closely in CL. Favre, is Swedish Emery, Dortmund fans seem to have similar opinion we have of Emery. Clamouring for him… Read more »
2. Raul is a career Barcelona boy and no-one dislikes Jose more than Barcelona folk
Raul tried to bring him in at Barca but Jose refused to tone down his abrasive style so Barca opted for pep instead
TR7,
Can understand apprehension regarding Mourinho.
The managerial merry go round will begin soon. Kovač tanking Bayern, Emery tanking Arsenal, Mourinho would be a criminal hire for either really.
Ten Hag one of the more interesting for me, Naglesman sitting high up Bundesliga table likely pulls him out of running. Even Rodgers seems a decent options after the dirge of Emery has played out.
Cesc is on a very lucrative deal in Monaco who have started to click offensively. Unless he really missed London, I can’t see him taking the job to be No2 to Mourinho or Benitez.
Regarding the assistant, if Freddie keep his job. He needs to have a real influence. Like Steve Bould last season, initially the assistant coach had an influence on preceding and then Emery stopped listening.
During pre-season, it was clear that Emery was taking his cue on youth team players from Freddie. Now Freddie sit, staring blank, barely involved during games.
Valentin
Rafa has a clause in his contract that European clubs can be considered, you don’t fuck off to China and tie yourself up legally. Cmon now.
Their league has 3 games to play and officially ends November 30th. He’s basically a free agent.