Big Dave Ornstein has hit the airwaves with his weekly piece in The Athletic, his headline which I think I can talk about without being mercilessly sued is:
- Emery stays
- Fans are noise
- Club is on the right path
It’s the not-so-dreaded vote of confidence Arsenal fans used to hear when Wenger was at the club.
What do we make of it?
I understand it.
As I’ve been saying for the past few weeks, there’s no plan at Arsenal. For the moment, we can perhaps blame that on Edu’s late arrival at Arsenal. Maybe he didn’t notice that Arsenal has been in steep decline the whole of 2019. Maybe he hasn’t been listening to the garbled press conferences. Maybe he thinks the handling of mega players has been consistent and clear. Maybe the football looks nice to him?
Whatever it is, Edu can lean on the crutch of new boy for the moment.
I wrote in the summer that the perfect scenario for Edu was having the fans BEGGING him to make a change. At the moment, we’re not really begging. I don’t think I’ve heard an Emery Out song from the away fans, there has been no march planned walks, and has anyone seen a gofundme for a plane banner? Not me. So are we even angry?
Arsenal fans are so united in thinking Emery is a disaster, I’m not sure we thought we’d need to work too hard on this one, so maybe Raul is right… maybe it’s just noise, because compared to how Barca fans behave when they want changer, this is probably all a bit pony (when it should be a pony head in the bed).
When assessing the market, it’s probably not the worst decision to hold off making a huge decision. Freddie could be our OGS, Mourinho could bring the club down, Enrique is Emery with a nice suit and better sound bites, and don’t even get me started on Eddie Howe.
Here’s the thing though, the stay of execution is only worthwhile if the club is formulating a plan that’ll move us forward next year. If we’re simply delaying a dinosaur hire, that’s a very big worry. I think we’ve seen enough actions from Raul to know that he’s not a particularly original thinker. We know he’s attracted by the bright lights of super-agents and we know he’s captivated by managers that make him feel like he’s dancing with the elite.
What Edu thinks should be the key. The rumblings I’m hearing are that he’s not as active as people would have hoped. Again, early doors, but the vision I had with the Arsenal Technical Director role was that he’d be far more present. That he’d stop the nonsense at the training ground. That he’d have a smarter plan for Mesut Ozil. The Mirror leaked that the player captains vote was Dave Priestly. I wrote in the summer that he was likely the architect of the player reviews that happened at the end of the last season. Priestly is our sports psychologist, and from what I hear, he’s been firmly wedged up Emery’s back passage since day one. He was the sort of person you’d have expected to be moved on, but alas, he’s still here stinking out the joint and not moving the ‘mental strength’ of the squad to a better place. I’m sure the travel guy throwing motivational speeches and fighting in the tunnel is still about. The young players are ripping the shit out of the manager behind his back. All the messy bits that went on last year are still happening this year, but the worse thing is that there’s no control over the media narrative. When a club is porous, it means people are unhappy.
We can forgive though, for now.
The decision to keep Emery on until the summer feels like it’s being driven by ego or fear. Emery is Raul’s man, 100% (as in, his recco). A lot of people blaming Ivan Gazidis, sure, we can bucket him in, but Raul was the day to day football guy that 1) Pulled him in 2) translated his PowerPoint 3) Assured everyone he was the best bet. It was really his first big decision so he has to double down on it, my question really does centre around what it is they are watching that gives them the sense the club is on the right path?
Some theories:
Leicester not the target
Being 9 points from Leicester and Chelsea might not be seen as a big deal. Chelsea are going to be inconsistent this season, Frank Lampard didn’t really move Derby last year, they should be catchable. Leicester also might be attainable, they have a good setup, but maybe the club thinks their run is a bubble.
PR noise
The club don’t have a plan for a replacement manager, so they’d rather not have to make a double sub type signing. If the media sniff that Raul and Edu are going to replace, the players will totally switch off. If they feed the idea Emery is safe, it gives them cover to speak to managers and it gives them time to make the correct decision with the relevant due diligence. It also might cajole the players to put in a bit more effort.
Listening to excuses in Spanish
Edu spent some time working under Emery back in the day when he was hitting 3rd in the league every season for Valencia. There could be a deep level of respect for his work. Emery will be speaking to Edu and Raul in crystal clear Spanish every day and maybe that makes it easier to understand what he’s trying to do and what the future vision is. Remember, this is Raul’s hire, he’ll do anything to make it seem to his bosses that he made a sound decision when he passed up Arteta and made an 8 day panic hire using ‘contacts’ recruitment (LOL that Emery was close to joining Sociedad before we stepped in).
December is going to be a disaster
I’ve been looking at the December crunch of games and hiding behind the couch. That really could be a death spiral of games. This last theory might be very off, but maybe the club worry that putting in a new manager and expecting them to come out of that batch of games with any PR credit is low… so they’d prefer Emery to take the fall and revisit his tenure in early January when the team is out of the woods.
All of the above sound ridiculous considering the nightmare we’re in on the pitch, and off it.
So here we are, Raul does not look like the great white hope, and Edu is still finding his footing after 4 months. Arsenal looks to be a ship lost at sea, so let’s see what happens now they’ve put absolute faith in a captain that’s lost his sea legs, his compass, and the faith of the sailors aboard.
LISTEN TO MY NEW PODCAST:
Saliba injured his metatarsal and just had an operation on his foot. I don’t see the point of cancelling his loan and paying his wage when he can’t play anyway.
We may want him to do his rehab at Colney rather than in France, otherwise that does not make sense.
Anyway our main problem is the midfield. So even with a better CB, we would still have an open door policy to our back 4. If they think recruitment, they should look at a left footed centre half and a defensive centre midfield.
Let’s all just face reality here, the only manager out there with Premier league experience. That would makes us a lot more organised is José Mourihno, who gives a fuck if the guy is a horrible guy as long as the job is done right. I’d take José a top 4 finish over, the twat that is Emery and midtable mediocrity.
Receding HairlineNovember 10, 2019 15:52:28
Yea Don You thought u could just slide that one in and no one would notice.
Shut up you chubby bald bell end. If I make a comment then I want it noticed.
I stand by my comment
Us and untied are a shadow of our former selves since losing our two great managers
Not- worst start to a season for 37 years
Pedro
Raul wasn’t the only Spanish speaker in at room. Sven Milslintat is a bit of a polyglot- he speaks Spanish fluently.
Besides professional language translation services are available for a fee. How do you know there wasn’t such a professional interpreter in the room?
Sky moron interviewer “Pep why do you think it’s so hard to get a result at Anfield?”
Pep “Because the opposition are very good”
Ask a stupid question!
“Emery has to go but let’s not pretend that Wenger didn’t leave a mess. A mess tat Emery clearly doesn’t have the ability to address.“
Can you detail this mess as you see/saw it?
“The only people according him more time to my eyes now are the idiots calling the shots and one or 2 dickheads on here.”
Say no more. Hopefully, we fire him soon enough coz the longer we persist with him, the deeper the mess.
Maybe the people in charge not firing Emery now is because they have better plans than fireman Benitez.
Benitez plays to nullify the oppositions strengths.. Sound familiar?
CC – agree with you. Some of the excuses coming thru via club mouthpieces in the media sound very familiar. I doubt they will hire Allegri. Didn’t he previously reject both Arsenal and Chelsea because limited transfer funds?
Azed,
Raul explained that he is the one who took the decision to withdrew Ramsey’s contract. His job is literally to make those decision.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/raul-and-vinai-ramseys-contract-situation
Huss Fahmy is the in house contract lawyer not the decision maker regarding the contract.
If Raul said that he wants a clause terminating Emery’s contract if he failed to meet Target X, Y and Z, he is the guy who will write the legalese term to make sure that would stand in a court of law.
‘ End of the day American run business only care about one thing and that’s profit.’
The anti-American dumb-f*uckery comments have started.
What do UK, French, German, Mongolian, Peruvian, Ugandan businesses care about?
Don’t tell me it’s losses.
There was nothing wrong with the Emery appointment. It hasn’t worked out and he needs to go. There’s no certainty that the next one we make will work out, such is a the nature of business.
Valentin
How long does a metatarsal take to heal? Six to Eight weeks? So he would be healed and back in training in mid Jan.
He’s also reported to be able to play as the left sided CB in a pairing.
I agree about midfield but you do come out with some utter bollocks.
And Charles is back to asking posters to detail the mess Wenger left us in.
All that Wenger out posters and Wenger out sentiments on here for years were for nothing then, everything was swell and we spoilt a good thing.
You have company Don.
Mourinho is quality in the studio, can’t deny that.
Dissenter
Stop making rational comments.
Receding
Put your tampon back in, I asked Dissenter for HIS opinion on a subject he raised. Unless you’re also Dissenter you mind shutting the fuck up?
CC
Which mess do you want me to detail
The massive turd that Wenger left behind or the gabbled mess that Emery exacerbated?
I wonder which one has your panties in a bunch? … I just wonder.
For you, everything but Emery are all ‘symptoms’, Arsenal was in full flight success when Emery took over.
Pedro
So we’re skint
We’re a bit shit
The coach is clueless
And there’s nothing the hierarchy can do to turn the situation around?
Is Stewart Houston available
Dream
I believe so. All I know is he was in the building , so it would appear we’ve a faction or two behind the scenes because how do you have some on board a bit him and end up at Emery? Queer
Dissenter
My panties are in a bunch because I ask you to detail what you said? Makes sense.
“For you, everything but Emery are all ‘symptoms’, Arsenal was in full flight success when Emery took over.“
Huh? I’m asking your POV and you’re telling me mine?
When did that become normal on here ffs. Get a grip you twat.
I can’t figure out why you think Raul would have a problem explaining to anyone why he hired a tried and tested manager over someone who at that stage was a step up from the kit man. Kind of explains itself. You make some good points but always, but you have created an almost wengeresque delusion around Arteta. Reading between the lines he’s only the best choice because he’s all a fiction at this stage. It’s like when we have young players.. everyone wants them because, until they fail, they’re better than Maradonna. By about year 2, everyone is screaming… Read more »
Emery need to go…period
Let’s stop all this in-fighting and just unify under a common cause.
Some were off to the races with Emery hatred before he managed the first game because of Wenger nostalgia, others held their whips and waited to give him some time.
Unfortunately, Emery lived up to what the former group of gooners feared . He’s bland, uncertain and filled with random tic-like energy. It’s like watching Tourette’s syndrome in full bloom.
Emery out – The earlier mob and the delayed ditherers are mostly agreed bout this.
That 8-man shortlist didn’t blow me away when it was ‘revealed’
Really? Allegri, Arteta, Vieira, Thierry Henry, Julen Lopetegui, Ralf Rangnick and Jorge Sampaoli didn’t do anything for you? Hard to please.
Victorious
Your saying things I was highlighting years back.
Funny that.
The ethos and culture at our club changed as soon as we started to accept top 4 as being a success.
When winning doesn’t matter, you’re on a slippery slop of regression.
Emery is shite,we all know that,but the real problems surfaced long before he arrived on the scene.
You’re saying
CC
I mean…are you really asking me to explain why or how Wenger left Arsenal in a mess? is that even open to debate on le-grove?
That’s not some subjective drivel. It’s etched in history by most people. Just because Emery is no better than declined Wenger doesn’t distinguish the tail end of Wenger’s tenure.
Seems some are trying to use Emery failure to burnish Wenger’s image.
Bamford defends Emery day in day out even though he is mighty sure we will lose more points under Emery in our remaining league games than Ole’s United. That he doesn’t see the irony in all this is not even surprising.
Ralf Rangnick would have been a good hire but he’s literally a Don Corleone at his current club and here he’d be a Fredo. Is he even a manager anymore? He’s a Wenger type these days without the abject uselessness
Good podcast and post 👌🏽
Freddie could really work till end of the season.
Favre’s Dortmund was beaten 4-0 yesterday. What do you think was responsible for the loss?
Dissenter, Emery was a bad decision. It wasn’t smart or rational. It was a Real Sociedad move.
But yes, let’s all just agree that it’s basically done and we should be talking about the next move.
Valentin
Let Saliba stay away from this mess as long as possible. No need to come back to Colney.
TR7 it doesn’t making sense does it. I think it’s bet related that he goes to bat for him
Victorious
“It’s astonishing the length people go to defend Emery and how much they’re still willing to accord Mr bland more time. Haven’t they witnessed enough of the shambles?’”
Oh the irony of AKB’s lol lol lol
“But yes, let’s all just agree that it’s basically done and we should be talking about the next move.”
Agree Pedro who’s you top choice at the moment?
Charles this is the umpteenth time you are asking someone to detail the mess Wenger left us in….that implies you saw nothing wrong happening when he was here.
Major, Bayern Munich have the best squad in Germany. Think if you look at the general body of work of Favre since he arrived, it looks pretty good. Also did a solid at Nice. He’s a great coach, not sexy, but he’d have Arsenal organised and he’d be good for the kids.
What a $hit run organization. Run into the ground by idiots to concerned about their own turf then winning. This isn’t brain surgery, coaches are paid to WIN and Emery isn’t winning crap right now. They might just avoid relegation at this point. Management made a hiring mistake, own up to it and move on.
At least we can watch a decent match today and dream about the day we play good composed football with a proper manager in charge
If you’re Liverpool target John Stones. If you’re City get the ball to Sterling.
Anyone who knows anything about Football knows that Arsene Wenger left Arsenal in a mess.
Emery has just exacerbated things.
Those that think otherwise are totally clueless.
Dissenter
If I was to say it wasn’t a mess it wouldn’t exactly make clear my POV. It wasn’t a hard question, just a basic asking for clarity.
Save it though, honestly not interested with the menstruating Nigerian populous a clear thing today.
Henry has been at the Emirates the last few matches. Chatting with Özil and Lacazette before one match, Auba and others after another. He can sense Emery is on the ropes. The man is an opportunist.
Liverpool 2-1 or 3-2.
Come on City!
Baldline, you were one of the last cvnts on here to admit Wenger a busted flush. I remember you waving the Wenger defense flag and sucking his cock days before he was fired.
Now you want to be the voice of WOB and give lectures to Un nai naai about being a sneak?
Talk about the height of shamelessness.
Marko
Being hard to please is a bad thing now?
Far exceeds being easily pleased, as you were ‘busting a load’ at Pepe’s signature.
Again not wanting to wade into a pile of shit or nothing but summer of 2018 Arsene Wenger left the next manager with squad poor in every area bar CF. We needed better Defenders better midfielders as well as a goalkeeper, a DM, proper fullbacks and at least one winger since we had none. We had a bloated mess of a squad on champions league wages playing Europa League football. These are undeniable facts really.
“Danny S, I don’t have a mod because this website costs me money to run. If you want to volunteer some cash to fund it, let’s do it, venmo me the first month.” Are you seriously whinging about the cost of hosting a discussion site that has all the bells and whistles of an AOL designed site from 1998? Everyone knows you come from daddy’s money, and make a very comfortable living doing “social marketing”. Why not tell everyone what the site costs you to run currently, and what it would cost you to add basic functionality to the site?… Read more »
Marc, Saliba can’t play on the left side of the CB. Saint-Etienne tried him there last season when they had an injury crisis. He was poor. Was taken to the cleaner by speedy tricky right winger. Where he excel is in as the central CB in a back 3. He is calm on the ball and great distribution. A right footed better version of David Luiz. He is also a decent RB. Very good defensively not so good going forward. The thing Marc is that you keep accusing of saying utter bollocks, but then later you forced to agree with… Read more »
‘Henry has been at the Emirates the last few matches. Chatting with Özil and Lacazette before one match, Auba and others after another. He can sense Emery is on the ropes. The man is an opportunist.’
I hope AFC never consider Mourinho and Henry for any managerial role at the club. Absolutely loathsome individuals even though TH is one of our own.
Someone seems to have a thing for the ladies monthly cycle today. Anything to deflect from the mess Wenger left us in being mentioned
We don’t all have short memories, our last league title was in 2004 and Wenger was here 22 years, clubs rejoice when they draw us in the champions league knockout phases, we lost big games by embarrassing scoreline, losing best players to more ambitious clubs , I mean how can you even ask someone to explain the mess Wenger left
Far exceeds being easily pleased, as you were ‘busting a load’ at Pepe’s signature.
Now now let’s keep it civil. I was delighted with one of the most in demand attackers on the market being bought for a club record. You weren’t convinced of a list with Allegri, Arteta, Rangnick and Sampaoli on it. Like I said hard to please.
Maddison > wijnaldum
Ndidi > Fabinho
Leicester are better than Liverpool confirmed.
VAR wasn’t going to make the referee look bad
Rambo Ramsey isn’t happy unless the discussion has dicks and asses mentioned and references to gay sex…I bet there are tons of forums for that online. Find one and stop forcing it on here
VAR is such a mess.
City pen all day, Liverpool run up and score, no pen given… wtf
This comment from previous post tells a story . “Stats Courtesy Ginormous Arsenal made 54 failed passes in their own half vs 18 by Leicester Again, only counting the failed passes originating in the Arsenal half. Now let’s dig a little deeper into this. Arsenal made 77 unsuccessful passes in the game. If 54 of them were in their own half, that means 70% of their failed passes were in their own half. 33 of those failed passes by Arsenal were in the first 45 minutes. Arsenal made 171 of 212 passes in the first 45 minutes, that means that… Read more »
Henry would be a shocking hire
No CC, just us.
Everybody has superior options to Arsenal. Just because our players play for Arsenal doesn’t mean they’re better, as a fact they’re not!!
It was a penalty for City…Oliver should have held play to refer to VAR.
He didn’t and Liverpool went on to score.
When I said Leicester had a better starting 11 that arsenal in April 2019, I was laughed at.
With the addition over the summer at Arsenal and with Leicester losing their best defender to United…our squad is at par now.
They have a better manager who’s organized them and utilizing their strengths to a purpose.
It was handball on Bernardo Silva before it hit the hand of Arnold so…no pen
What a smash and grab this is fml. City have dominated for 12 mins and are down 2-0
Madness. Offside for their second goal too by the looks of it. Have a fucking word VAR
offside this one
Baldline, yeah I’ll do that. Meanwhile you’ll still remain an absolute dumbass.
“Most of us remember the bad times” says the plank who vociferously defended the man until the end.
Valentin
Withdrawing Ramsey’s contact is a whole different from sacking a manager.
Also Huss Fahmy was brought in explicitly for contracts. He’s work is basically to protect Arsenal in all contract negotiations so saying things like Raul has to dictate x,y,z things to him is doing a disservice to Huss.
Klopp the only manager in the world to have a winning record against Pep.
Who the fuck is the slap head playing for City?
City can mount a come back, there’s still enough time
Valentin I haven’t seen Saliba play on the left but if you read what I said “It’s reported he can play on the left” you’ll see I didn’t say he can. I’ll take you at face value that it’s not his best position. After that you start lying again. “Koscielny should be stuck in the reserve for a year to teach him a lesson. My opinion was that the Best decision was to sell him at a reasonable price and then move on. * Pepe will be an instant success. I said that he is a one trick pony speed… Read more »
Apart from the confusion of Emery, our players are just not up to par compared to Liverpool, the cross from their left back the desire and hunger to get there by their forwards, it just isn’t there for our own players. Aubameyang can score 22 goals but it’s his desire I question a lot. Laca is too deep fighting for balls because our midfielders are garbage at gathering and pressing and pushing forward. Hopeless fullbacks, hopeless midfield and a not so hungry strike force. Less said about the CB, who are the worse of the lot. But ultimately, the manager… Read more »
Whybarebt yellow cards being dished out.
That was an obvious cynical foul right in front to the referee
“Why aren’t yellow cards being dished out?.”
I fucking hate Scousers
Marc
Second that. With a passion
CC
I hate them more than you do!
CC
Seriously though I’ve got a horrible feeling this is going to be the Scousers year. They just seem to have momentum whilst City aren’t quite at full speed.
Really hope I’m wrong though.
Marc
I don’t see how it isn’t sadly, City having a wobble in relative terms. Makes me sick
CC
Fuck me we could end up with a Corbyn government and the Scousers winning the league.
That’d be worse than the apocalypse!
CC
Did I just see an advert on one of the digital boards “The Benefit’s Office proud partner of Liverpool”?
Liverpool have an atrocious December schedule with the world club tournament .
That’s where they may have their stumbles but if they go into December with a 3 game lead then all bets are off…they will stroll to nauseating league title.
Salah might be fucked.
TR7
“Bamford defends Emery …”
Actually, I only defend him against bogus criticisms and claims. I’m happy to criticize him for things he deserves criticism for.
As for everything else you said, you still don’t get it: United will finish above us because they have both better players AND a better manager.
As I say, though, enjoy your summer off. You’ll have plenty of time to think about what you got wrong and what you continue to get wrong.
Marc
Didn’t spot that, sounds about right though.
Just look at those Liverpool players out there all fully confident in their roles, must be nice to witness as a fan.
Obviously I mean on MOTD, most pool fans will be circling spice and ket at this hour.
Tr7
I assume, in the interest of fairness, that your bet sees you, Weagle, and now Marko take leave for 3 months, and Banford sit out for 9?
Second goal was onside
Well let’s see what Pep can do at half time.
if Liverpool get a third, which looks likely, this could get embarrassing.
Liverpool haven’t even played well.
Jesus will do better in a game like this.
Pep may have to take off Aguero, he never does well against Liverpool anyways.
CC
Nah Bamford months go by quicker than human months!
Ah yes, in B10’s world, Emery is still a “competent manager”.
If City turn this around it’ll be all down to Arteta, right?
I despise Liverpool but at least their success wasn’t bought by a mid eastern state or Russin billionaire. The did it the old fashioned way.
Liverpool winning the league this year will be good for the league. I just don’t like the idea of one club developing a dynasty.
Marc, You explicitly said that Koscielny should rot in the reserve for a year. I made the point that the only party negatively affected by that was Arsenal as he was still drawing a full salary and would leave on a free the following summer. The best outcome is him leaving on a reasonable fee the quickest possible so that leaves us time to find a replacement. You made the point that Pepe was going to light up the league. I made the point that he would not and playing him with Aubameyang was making one of them redundant. I… Read more »
*They would have won it the old fashioned way*
They haven’t won it yet.
CC
‘I assume, in the interest of fairness, that your bet sees you, Weagle, and now Marko take leave for 3 months, and Banford sit out for 9?’
Sounds fair but Bamford without LG for 9 months would mean absolute havoc for the little kids who attend his classes. For the sake of humanity, I would rather he irritated us than those poor kids.
The handball might not have been a penalty but it did give Liverpool an advantage which enabled them to go up the other end and score in a matter of seconds.
If a Liverpool player had made the same handball in the City box in the build up would VAR have disallowed the goal?
Stream please..
When Klopp kept out Fabinho for months after he joined them last season..,.he looked like a signing gone wrong.Now he’s the staple of their midfield.
Hope the likes of Pepe can gain comfort that under a proper manager he can still be the player we are all hoping for.
Liverpool winning the league this year will be good for the league. I just don’t like the idea of one club developing a dynasty.
….I mean…