Arsenal drop points. Fans get depressed. Everything is shit.
Not at Le Grove, where it’s sunshine and praise for our Dear Leader.
Just kidding, but not.
It’s amazing how quickly some fans fall back into misery and rant about their high expectations not being met.
This season was tanked by Unai Emery, 18 months in the making, the worst start in 38 years. 4 weeks ago, we were bemoaning uncoachable players, now people are angry we’re not destroying teams in every game.
Arteta was hired into a mess, that mess is not going to be solved by this current squad of players right now, but the manager is making solid inroads and we have to take the small positives that will come game to game. This is what happened with Liverpool when Klopp took over, huge highs, some miserable lows, but all levelled out because the scousers had a path that was clear.
Arsenal didn’t put on a great show against Crystal Palace, but there were positives none the less.
Defensive resilience is something we’ve been absolutely begging for, we’re already making inroads there. I’ve read numerous fans state that we folded yesterday, which is simply not the case. Our level dropped for sure, Palace came back into the game, no doubt. But we didn’t fold. In fact, we created far more in the second half than we did in the first half when we dominated (6 attempts to 1).
Also, it’s important to remember the state of their goal. A ricochet over the top of Bernd Leno. It was very lucky. That’s reflected in the xG for yesterday. Arsenal were 1.08, which is not bad for an away game against a tough team, Palace were 0.31. They came back into the game but had nothing to show for it.
If you want to go back to last season when we played them away and drew, Palace had an xG of 2.38. In the home leg, when we were still in the hunt for top 4, they beasted us and recorded an xG of 2.54.
Point here, xG is working in our favour, the goal was unlucky and the numbers point out that the bad luck was the narrative of the game. We didn’t give them much to work with yesterday, we were harder to attack, and we kept their best player quiet using a right-back that hates the position so much he forced a red card under Emery so he didn’t have to play there. We also dealt with a very average referee.
Factor in the side played a brutal game against Leeds in the week with a full stack of seniors, on top of the reality of our new far more intense training regime, and well, you get the picture, it wasn’t that bad a day in the office.
Things aren’t looking very exciting in the transfer window.
“At the moment there is nothing coming up. The club is working on a few things but you know how difficult this window is and I’m not expecting many things.”
Poor Mikel, used to double our normal transfer budget for squad filler in January, he’s now being faced down with real-world economics… if you don’t sell players, you can’t buy them.
It’s a tough scenario here because most of us would have had a few players in mind to shift on, but Mikel has other plans. My guess is the market isn’t flush with talent and he’s likely weighing the bother of bringing in names that either aren’t playing right now, or will have to spend 3 months adapting to a league that is way faster than any of the others. I also wonder if part of the ‘coach them out of mediocrity’ is a sales pitch for summer signings. I’d go to a club that could make Xhaka a functioning player in the Premier League, that’s miracles right there.
Arsenal are not really chasing anything, so working with what we have isn’t the worst idea. I’m not sure there are many instances where panic buys in January work out. I’d be quite happy to see what a fully fit squad can do from now until the end of the season, then make aggressive moves in the summer, very, very early on. A Euros year isn’t exactly ideal, but hopefully, Edu and Cagigao can formulate ideas with Mikel early so we don’t end up going on a mad one with Don Raul taking reccos from the football mafia on who might or might not be a worldy.
I forgot to talk about the players leaving on loan. We have John-Jules heading out to Lincoln City, they sit 16th in the table in League One, so a huge job for him there, and hopefully some minutes. ESR has joined Huddersfield, who dropped from the Premier League, and now sit 20th in the Championship. Quite the fall from grace, you have to say, but again, far more chance ESR will land minutes. Eddie still hasn’t found a club, but there are rumours Villa and Norwich might be interested. I’d be fine with either, as long as he actually lands playing time. No point in warming someone else’s bench.
Right, that’s my lot for today, if you want the match report, it’s here.
Have a good one, see you in the comments!
We desperately need a creative goal scoring midfielders, currently none of our minds contribute to our scoring, that’s why we are struggling to win.
Grealish would fit the bill, Cellabos is not going to do it for us.
Watching Watford’s midfield, they are a collection of bullies. I can imagine that they’ll bully our midfield out of the park.
“I mean say what you want but Wenger still had us in the top 6 with players you label as dross so either Raul and emery signed worse players than Wenger or Wenger is the better coach and tactician.Which is it?“
Squirm, squirm, squirm…
Next season we will be 4 seasons out of CL bar a EL mirical. How it can be considered a top 4 squad us beyond me.
Fred
“Blabla 200m spent blabla. Yeah, that was never close to enough to untangle that mess.”
How about if the money was spent on areas of the team that needed addressing, maybe that would untangle the so called mess.
“How it can be considered a top 4 squad us beyond me.”
But we are paying top4 salary.
Batistuta “Atlanta have been playing some amazing football the last 2 years, probably before that even when they played in the Europa league, a true definition of an attacking team, look on course for 2 consecutive years in the UCL too at the rate they’re going…” Definitely, i actually dont see Roma edging them out. Top 4 in italy is 80% settled, roma have to get something against Juve today. Lazio has just being outstanding so far, they are actually in the title race alongside Inter, would be very difficult to dispose Juve at the latter stages though. Lovely from… Read more »
Don You really are an idiot. The league was less competitive the last time Wenger managed to get top 4, there’s far more money in quality in the mid and lower table teams now so we can’t just bully our way to the CL places anymore. What about having to replace AGING players on inflated contracts with little to no money is it you don’t understand? I think we’ve done well in the last 2 summer windows, some mistakes but overall much better than what we’ve seen for a long time. We still had to do it with a low… Read more »
Pierre On a human level I’m a huge AW fan, but he should have gone after the FA cup win in 2014, some people argue before, but that was the point I felt it was time. I don’t think my prediction is negative, I just think our problems go way beyond coaching issues. Paulinho I agree, Wenger was castigated for sending his troops into battle gung-ho, in battles he was equipped to win. Emery’s pragmatism was first lauded, but then ripped to shreds by our fan base. Arteta taking us back to an ideologue philosophy, but that is unlikely to… Read more »
Pierre
“How about if the money was spent on areas of the team that needed addressing, maybe that would untangle the so called mess.”
Great plan. Unless all areas of the squad bar striker needed addressing at the same time. Hence a 3-4 years rebuild.
Rambo
‘1 win in 4 PL games says otherwise.’
I guess you’re a glass half-full sort of guy.
We were coming off a long winless run, have had two awkward away games which we drew , beat United comfortably , lost very unluckily to Chelsea and also beat in Leeds a decent quality side . Bearing in mind Arteta took over from an appalling coach I think he has done very reasonably . The team looks like i5 has been properly coached for the first time in years
After watching Palace( and the ref) turn yesterday’s game into a kicking match, I am now sitting here trying to watch another physical battle between Bournemouth and Watford.
At least we have Liverpool and city who believe the way to win football matches is by using skill and technique.
Thank God Emery has gone as skill and technique were the bottom of his list.
Arteta will want to play football the Arsenal way , it may take time after the Emery debacle but at least he will try.
“I know it’s all based on equality and promoting the game but let’s not pretend that it will always play second fiddle to the men’s game.
Shoot me.”
Fortunately, old age will sort out most of your ilk before too long, so I’d imagine very few worry much about what creepy old men like you think.
As much as I want to enjoy Arsenal again I just can’t with the likes of Xhaka and Ozil still stinking out the place. Arteta is just going to end up getting sacked if he continues championing this lot at the expense of buying in better players. We need to move forward and these are the types that will prevent us from doing that. The season is toast so I don’t care but I will begin judging Arteta from the summer if he keeps these leeches at the club. No person in their right mind would want to keep Xhaka… Read more »
Backpass
I’m all for Lazio winning the league, been sacred they’ll drop off but thankfully that hasn’t been the case…. Conte has tried to get players who normally wouldn’t run a lot to run even more so yea that was always going to tell but they’ve now got Sanchez and Godin back from injury… Roma are inconsistent and that’s why i don’t see top4 for them but who knows, looking like it’s a 3 horse race which is actually brilliant for us over here, better than whatever is being served up in England this season that’s for sure
We are paying the direct consequence of not firing Arsene Wenger 8 years ago when it was clear we were on the slide. We let everything fail, from top to bottom. We let good people rot, we passed on innovation, we didn’t bring in great players and we failed to maintain a grip on an elite mentality.
Un – I like Stones, agreed he’s over priced but technically a sound footballer. Unfortunately he’s another one that can’t stay fit and will probably never have an injury free season for however long his career lasts.
YEA Valentin.Taylor looked the business in those early Days.Zalem has never surfaced.
“Arteta taking us back to an ideologue philosophy, but that is unlikely to work, as we have quality, and squad balance issues.”
That is a step in the right direction, n’est par? Any reasonable fan will know that the squad requires upgrade. In 18 months, most of our high priced players will be replaced. Arteta was given a 3 1/2 years contract. I think Josh has decided to stay with Arteta and will ignore those noisy fans.
Jamie That’s what the AKBs can’t admit, they think our downfall started 18 months ago and that Emery broke the club when all he did was fail to put the broken pieces together. That’s why all of the mental gymnastics and shooting down the reality that our squad is still poor even after 2 relatively successful transfer windows. There’s a lot more potential there now though so it still looks brighter than 18 months ago. They’re still on here defending the last of Wengers babies, the Xhakas, the Ozils, can’t have them being shit reflect badly on their master can… Read more »
Very bad tackle by Auba. Red card no doubt, but that wasn’t challenge with any malice. Unfortunately caught Meyer on his standing foot, but neither Meyer nor Auba were lunging(running at pace) for Auba to have being careful before going in for tackle. So maybe we can appeal to FA to shorten 3 match ban?? Anyway, we controlled the game defensively, which has been consistent since Arteta arrived bar Leeds match. Why was Torreira subbed?? Injury?? But I think he would have been substituted anyway due to his inability to find Ozil by passing between the lines despite having plenty… Read more »
Brooklyn
Never going to happen and a stupid comment. It was what is was and the punishment is a 3 match ban.
Don
You’re continuing your tour of stupidity I see.
Liverpool and Man C are obviously a level above everyone else, I didn’t think I would have to write that out even for you.
Doesn’t change the fact that the teams that used to be below us have a far higher quality of player and more money to spend than they used to.
Most of them are also far more athletic than us so even when they can’t beat us in skill they just run over our sorry midfield.
I think Nigel Pearson is a good coach. He may have problems dealing with the management. But his team is hard to beat on the pitch.
Brooklyn, ‘Torreira would have been substituted anyway’.
It’s amazing how people’s views can vary so greatly. I cannot be alone in thinking Torreira is, by a street, our most effective midfielder( at least when he’s allowed to plat to his strengths). He may have eventually been substituted in the last 10 minutes but the idea he was not playing well in the first half is a surprising view at best!
Jamie, No the main problem was not getting rid of Wenger early enough it was to replace him by incompetent and inferior group of people. When David Dein left, we hired Gazidis who was supposed to be that great organiser on top of a commercial genius. It turned out that the guy was a cretin who could not organise a pissing contest in a brewery. We know it was not just an accident or bad luck, because He is repeating the same mistakes at Milan. Its biggest mistake was and is to surround himself with parasites who pretend to know… Read more »
Bob
In CM Torreira is not our best midfielder by a street – it’s a Pacific sized ocean.
Don
Do I have to fucking spell it out for you again dimwit, my god you’re dense.
AGING and DECLINING players needed to be shifted out because of THEIR HIGH WAGES.
Yes many of them were dross but there was a wealth of PL experience there that we have replaced with unproven kids. Still had to be done to lower the wage bill and rejuvenate the squad.
Still making it about Emery I see, how predictable.
Valentin
“a pissing contest in a brewery”
Mate it’s a piss up in a brewery!
Don
I started commenting here when it was announced Wenger was leaving, wanna prove that statement?
The squad got progressively older and weaker the longer he stayed and yes, the teams below us have been getting stronger for a couple of years too.
Do you need me to explain something else to you?
Un
Your argument doesn’t make sense are you saying the league is or isn’t stronger now?
Freddie –
Agreed.
Valentin –
I should’ve put that previous comment in quotes. Those are Pedro’s words, not mine. You think he’s got it totally wrong with Wenger. Interesting. I don’t.
I’m worried about drinking French beer now too. Didn’t know that’s where you boys hold your pissing contests.
Jamie
It’s a worry!
Some of the promoted teams spend more than we do on players and are not full of slow, old weaklings. Simple really.
Are you actually arguing that teams like Leicester, Wolves etc doesn’t have at least a couple of players each that would walk into our first 11m? I would say it’s more than a couple.
Marc –
I don’t judge! Sticking to Belgian beers just to be safe though!
We always get back to squad poverty on here. I know CC and a group of others have done a good job in correcting the disgusting manipulation of the narrative, but here we go again. > This current squad is where it is because Unai Emery butchered it with bad coaching and bad man-management >> If Arteta had taken over this squad that was apparently poverty post Wenger, we’d have been a top 4 team last season… and we’d have signed better players in the summer. >> If Arteta had taken over at the start of this season, we’d be… Read more »
Jamie
I don’t know you know what the EU’s like they’ve probably made it some kind of local tradition and enshrined it in law.
Batistuta “Roma are inconsistent and that’s why i don’t see top4 for them but who knows, looking like it’s a 3 horse race which is actually brilliant for us over here, better than whatever is being served up in England this season that’s for sure” Roma are very inconsistent, against Torino, they were actually lucky to lose 2-0 at home that day ( poor smalling), only Atalanta can make roma get into top 4. Definitely competitive than the Prem this season where we all just hoping Liverpool lose, so that our unbeaten record would remain intact. PS. Mhikitaryan really is… Read more »
Pedro
Seems like you wasted 10 years of your life chanting Wenger out if he left the squad in such a good shape and it was all Emerys fault after 18 months and limited input on transfers.
I’m sure CC, Pierre and Don and the rest of the remaining AKBs are happy that you’ve totally changed your viewpoint and are absolving Wenger from all fuckups that are still holding us back to this day.
Valentin, whatever you want to say about Ivan G, he had a good plan on paper. He originally wanted Arteta He hired in the football guy from Barca to make us more relevant with agents and clubs He hired diamond eyes to unearth top talent He didn’t see it through, bottled the coach, then didn’t set a succession plan which left a power vacuum we filled with muck. Jamie is right, we should have fired Wenger when Klopp and Pep were looking at us as potential clubs to join. The post-Wenger clean up should have started with an innovative coach,… Read more »
Don “licht, Suarez, Ceballos and Guendouzi?” what did those 4 players cost us and ehy didn’t we have money for more than 3 loans and a 19 year old from ligue 2 in important positions? Saka is doing ok as a makeshift LB, is he better than Monreal was the last time we got top 4? No, doesn’t mean we keep Monreal when he’s too old to perform for us anymore. So far in the league Martinelli has not reached Iwobis numbers or consistency no, I’m sure he will soon enough though. Willock is a bit part player that hasn’t… Read more »
Freddie, Emery worked in a brain trust, he didn’t have limited input.
You wasted 18 months telling everyone it takes 18 months to implement an identity, that Emery can’t be blamed for bad coaching, and that English wasn’t important,
We’re seeing an instant reaction to what a modern innovative coach can bring. If we’d brought that in 18 months ago, we’d be in the Champions League progressing with a better squad that would be built for the future.
Freddie
‘ Seems like you wasted 10 years of your life chanting Wenger out if he left the squad in such a good shape and it was all Emerys fault after 18 months and limited input on transfers.’
Are you really this dense?
The squad wasn’t good enough for a title challenge but it was easily good enough to challenge for top 4. It’s that simple.
Bob Marc, Re: Torreira Defensively sure, he is our best midfielder by mile. My comment was regarding the fact that Palace for first 30 min did nothing offensively gave tons of space for us till half way line, he was very weak in this instance. All the time in the world, bring ball forward couple of yard pass the ball back to CB’s or AMN. Couple of time he lost control of ball just turning in circle without any pressure, thankfully managed to win foul before Ayew was able to Nick it. Anyway unlike you guys I am not talking… Read more »
Benfica made and offer for Bruno guimaeres for €20 million +10 % of future sale.
I haven’t watched him apart from youtube but it is said that he is currently the best player or midfielder in brazil.
Martinelli made quite a jump, so can Bruno, we should be all over this deal imo.
‘The squad wasn’t good enough for a title challenge but it was easily good enough to challenge for top 4. It’s that simple.’
Yes.
“I’m sure CC, Pierre and Don and the rest of the remaining AKBs are happy that you’ve totally changed your viewpoint and are absolving Wenger from all fuckups that are still holding us back to this day.“
It’s 2020 and “AKB” is still a thing, what a marvel.
What is ‘holding us back to this day’ thanks to Wenger exactly?
And what are we being back from doing?
More nonsense from Pedro. We drew 1-1 with injury ravaged Bournemouth. We played well for 30 minutes against Chelsea, Lampard reacted, Arteta failed to react, and we got dominated for 60 minutes, and rightly got beaten. We played well for 40 minutes against United, then fought well, but United aren’t a side who do well chasing a game, first goal was crucial. We got dominated with a strong team, at home to a Chanpionship club for 45 minutes, where Leeds should have been out of sight. We played well for 30 minutes against Palace, who had 12 injuries, and reacted… Read more »
Pedro. Did he have limited input compared to Wenger or not? Very much so no, that was the whole point of the new structure you have been advocating. I haven’t said a word about identity, that would be you. Never said Emery can’t be blamed for bad coaching either, he can’t be blamed for bad players though. If you think Xhaka and Ozil are going to keep this up you haven’t watched them the last 3p years. They can’t hack it as soon as they’re pressed and that won’t change with coaching. Still strange that you pivoted so hard from… Read more »
Lego hair
“Are you really this dense?
The squad wasn’t good enough for a title challenge but it was easily good enough to challenge for top 4. It’s that simple.”
What of this present squad?. I honestly need your opinion. Is it a top 4 squad?
Brooklyn
If we’re dominating possession and Palace are sitting back why are you highlighting Torreira as the weak link? What was Xhaka doing? Why wasn’t Ozil demanding the ball more? Why weren’t the other 10 players passing to Ozil?
Sarr was not happy being subbed out. Nigel Pearson held him with both hands and gave him a lecture before letting him go to his seat. I like this coach. He acts like a general.
Pedro
“He didn’t see it through, bottled the coach”
Hang on mate that doesn’t go with your anti Sanllehi agenda. I thought it was Sanllehi who was single handedly responsible for picking Emery.
Freddie, no inconsistency at all. Unai Emery had a say on the squad. The model I advocated for is the modern structure that doesn’t focus too much power in one persons hands. The idea that Emery didn’t have a say on what he needed is absurd and incorrect. Where do you think Denis Suarez came from? The Emery era saw 200m of investment. 18 months on, Wenger isn’t relevant. As many people keep pointing out. We weren’t title ready, we were top 4 ready. We blew it with a collapse for the ages. Arteta in at the start of either… Read more »
Marc, Ivan bottled the decision, Raul came in with the recco of Emery. Raul might have been the person in the ear of Ivan in the first place if the Athletic is to be believed.
Oh and caught an article regarding that CM from Lille.
Sounds like Pogba, without his offensive contribution. Article mentioned that he was 44th rank for defensive actions for player with more than 1000 minutes in Ligue 1.
Now, I have not watched him extensively, and don’t mind him if Arteta thinks he is required for team balance, because he seems to have good technical ability and physique and decent work rate. But like Pogba, he doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about doing dirty defensive work for the team, you know marking, tracking runners from midfield, covering ground horizontally etc.
Marc,
Thanks for the correction.
I am a Rhum man myself, most beer tastes like piss to me. English beer being the worst as warm piss.
I was told that I was gluten intolerant by my GP. So stop drinking whisky and bourbon. 10 years later, a consultant told me that I was not gluten intolerant, I just had a gut bacterial infection that had the same symptom: reaction to bread and gluten. So I may go start drinking whisky again, still no beer.
Aubergine “The squad wasn’t good enough for a title challenge but it was easily good enough to challenge for top 4. It’s that simple” We challenged for top 4 last season dummy, look at the table. And then we lowered the wage bill by 45m… Don We haven’t replaced 20/24 players yet and even when we will most by necessity will be kids, because for some strange reason we don’t have that much money, guess the 45m we cut off the wage bill and the further 18m a year we’ll lose when we can finally ship Ozil will help a… Read more »
Another Great post PedRo – many thanks. Arsenal have won 3 games in 17. Quite simply( leaving aside Arteta) it means the following. The Head of Footballing is failing The Teck Deck is failing The scouts are failing The players ( mostly ) are not good enough The owners are failing. And we have no money left. (Injudisciouly wasted by Raul on a concoction of assorted players from Europe) Eg. Cebollas. British Press stating that Arteta sees ‘onions’ playing in a different position than what the Clown did. But we allow The Spiv( who has never coached of kick a… Read more »
“Hang on mate that doesn’t go with your anti Sanllehi agenda. I thought it was Sanllehi who was single handedly responsible for picking Emery”.
LOL..
These things do get mixed up, tomorrow we are going to be told another thing.
The Backpass, they get mixed up when people don’t follow them correctly.
Backpass
‘ What of this present squad?. I honestly need your opinion. Is it a top 4 squad?’
Read what has been written. Yes. This squad is good enough to compete for top 4.
Emery made sure we didn’t achieve that. Killed the confidence of the squad and gave us an inferiority complex.
Valentin
It was an amusing mis-speak.
Fucking doctors are a menace – I’m sure that they spend half their lives pushing whatever is the latest fad in medicine rather than actually looking at what the problem actually is.
Brooklyn,
Are you talking about Boubakary Soumaré?
He is different from Pogba in that he can play defensive midfielder. Also he lacks the long killer pass. What he is very good at is small spaces and at breaking lines.
Imagine Vieira with the feet of Cazorla. He is closer to what Diaby was than Pogba.
Pedro
I’ve followed you correctly on Sanllehi. You just slipped up there, remember do not bullshit a bullshitter.
CG –
“Arteta might be brilliant- its actually irrelevant who is in charge.
This is club is going absolutely nowhere….( unless we return the old Arsenal way of a proper Board of Directors and omnipotent manager( eg Mee/Graham/Wenger)”
Going nowhere under Arteta? Need a return of the omnipotent Wenger?
What is that fermented piss they brew in the townships outside JoBurg? Some kind of rank milky shit. Whatever it is, lay off it CG. You’re a hot mess.
Arsenal need to give young english kids a chance and buy more english stars until that changes we won’t win the league. Look at Liverpool they had five to six english and British players contributing to their success. We are not united nation, we are an English club. I amnot a UK citzien , I am Ethiopian. But that’s what I feel. Identity is the key to build successful foundations.
Pedro
“The idea that Emery didn’t have a say on what he needed is absurd and incorrect. Where do you think Denis Suarez came from?”
If i remebered correctly, he actually wanted Perisic but due to no money mantra, he was actually given suarez
“The Emery era saw 200m of investment. 18 months on, Wenger isn’t relevant.” Ok, so the fact that he didn’t replace aging players in time, didn’t sell when he had the chance and instead let myriad players run down their contracts, inflated our wage bill to ridiculous levels and emptied our piggy bank on shite like Xhaka, Mustafi and the likes has no bearing on what we are trying to achieve now? We lowered the wage bill out of sheer fun instead of necessity then. We had to sell 4 players on average to afford 1 replacement because we felt… Read more »
Not that getting Perisic was actually good but he did not really have a say in most of his signings
Marc, You should re:watch number of times Ozil had hand up in air asking for ball when Torreira and Sok had possession. Ozil is tasked to play in right half space to connect with Pepe, Xhaka was playing as virtual LB, played numerous ball into Kola and Auba in his side far deeper than Torreira managed. Xhaka and Luiz also were given less freedom by opposition to move upfield than Torreira and Sok. Not asking Torreira to pinge ball like prime Fabregas, he should be able to atleast be able to pick out passes in-between lines when given so much… Read more »
Freddie ‘ We challenged for top 4 last season dummy, look at the table. And then we lowered the wage bill by 45m…’ And emery’s arse dropped from being 3 to the biggest collapse we’ve suffered as a club in years. The players had this but the manager decided to prioritise the EL like a daft cunt. So yes last year we had a top 4 squad and last summer, according to the guys that love shiny new toys…we won the summer transfer window. Would that not mean we would improve on where we finished last season? Yes is the… Read more »
As the season drags and the injuries bite.
My assessment that Watford have a better array and depth of forward players than AFC once again show why CG sustains a quite remarkable 87.4% accuracy in the FFM
Deeney, Gray, Sarr,Defolulu,Success ,our Danny…..we have only PEA/laca and a 19 year Brazilian -people rank far too highly
And we still have this ridiculous notion to loan out Eddie !!!!
We have 2 centre forward on our books!
Absolutely clueless this club.
Don
Playing kids from the academy and buying players that are proven at a high, senior level, and has played in Europe isn’t the same. Even you should grasp that.
Kos, Monreal, Cech, Per, Santi, etc all too old and had to leave, or retire. Some where too broken to keep, like your favorite Wilshere who you still think should be at the club hoovering up 100k+ in wages playing xbox.
Back pass
Mikhitryan started quite well to be fair but he’s reverted back to type which is just about his level, same can be said for about half our squad, but shush though, Pierre should be around soon to tell you how it was a mistake we let him go
Freddie,
Not sure what you are arguing here.
Have we been perfect in our execution? No
Have we had enough to be top 4? Yes
Would Arteta in at the start have made a huge difference? Yes
You hire a coach to extract the best from what they have, that wasn’t Emery, he compounded the errors of Wenger and made people like you believe coaching wasn’t important and players/systems can’t improve output.
CG, your doom mongering had us being relegated 3 weeks ago.
Now Watford have a better attack
Deeney a better forward than Auba. Ok mate.
Right now let’s play saka, AMN, willock, holding, and build on that give them a chance, look at rashford he is not great but he is getting a chance now 200 games he will be like Rooney when he matures, we need to build an english identity in an english league and in an English club, pedro what is your take on these, British youth project two under a good young coach. What do think?
Marc, To be fair to my GP, he did offer me to take the coeliac test to be sure. However in order to take the test, I would have had to go back on a Gluten diet for 3 month and get sick. As there is no cure for coeliac disease I passed on the offer. The only benefit of passing the test would have been to have the official coeliac intolerant card and get gluten free pasta as prescription on the NHS. I told him, I could rather buy gluten free pasta at supermarket price instead of asking the… Read more »
I’ll be really clear with this top 4 quality stuff that’s getting twisted beyond belief…. Here is a decades worth of data concerned with the points total needed to land 4th spanning 2010-2019: *4th place average of 71.3 points (high of 76, low of 66)* Please spare the nonsense about us not having enough in the squad to get top 4 last season given we were able to return 70 points. Your anecdotes about how much you hate so and so, or them not being suited doesn’t stand up to the data that explains precisely what performance threshold is ‘top… Read more »
Aubergine I think you’re confusing me with someone who cares about Emery. Yes we collapsed at the end. Not sure it was because we prioritised the EL though, we had a bare bones squad at that point due to injuries and the rest ran out of steam. Yes, Emery didn’t make things better with his chopping and changing and muddled tactics but surely a top 4 squad should be able to get 1 win in 5 against lower placed teams? I’m not absolving the manager from the collapse and I’m sure as hell not going to do it with the… Read more »
I actually think we have a top 6 squad and not a top 4 squad presently, its left to the manager to lift it up to top 4 in which Emery failed.
This season we actually dont have a top 4 squad..
Liverpool, leicester, man.city, chelsea, tottenham ( they have been above us for 3 seasons now) have better squad than arsenal.
So forgive me for not understanding that having the 6th best squad makes it magically a top 4 squad.
Brooklyn , as Marc rightly points out, the target for your frustration at our lack of creativity shouldn’t be targetted at our most effective midfielder, whose defensive role is vital.
Torreira is quick-witted and technically proficient and that allows him to successfully play 1/2 touch football. Ozil, Xhaka, Pepe Lacazette are the four main outlets from his side of the pitch ( AMN was sticking to Zaha). If he couldn’t find a progressive pass it was much more to do with the running and movement of the players I’ve highlighted.
Agree with Freddy….Emery was an upgrade on the absolutely piss poor Wenger….another 2 seasons of Wenger and we would’ve plummeted down to the bottom half of the league. Emery went on a 20+ unbeaten run…..that looks an impossibility now…or when Wenger was in charge. Hey but wait….that does not ,DOES NOT translate into meaning that I think emery was a good manager….clearly he wasn’t…he lost the dressing room…a situation impossible to fix. He took over a bunch of players used to having Mr soft-touch Wenger pandering around them….emery couldn’t follow that. Tactically I saw a plan…pressing up top..and playing out… Read more »
Marc 15.55 Consultants are worse the so called specialists. My previous early Dec ear infection worsened After 4 days on an anti biotic drip and a CT scan I was discharged in extreme pain. 18 days later I was re admitted the scan had been read wrongly I had necrosis of the skull from the inner ear infection . The wrong type of anti biotic tablet had been given. I have since been treated from home daily by a nurse who changes the pump giving me 24 hour cover of Anti biotic.infusion. How can something be missed by one consultant… Read more »
Valentin, Yeah him. Yeah seems to have good ability to beat a man and play line breaking passes. Positionally seems to be DM(DLP??) but not very good defensively. That article mentioned another 29(can’t remember his name) year old midfielder who would do dirty work for the team. Point is statistically as well as by eye test he seems to be poor midfielder defensively(like Pogba) but without Pogba’s final ball(long balls, assist, goals). Soumare seems like by virtue of playing in deeper midfield role won’t be caught upfield(unlike Pogba), but like Xhaka and Pogba let’s his man slip by due to… Read more »
Batistuta
Those who argue for Mhikitaryan really needs a break from football.
Don Go bother someone else with your juvenile bullshit. What has our squad and the teams around us got to do with the newly promoted teams and how many points they get? Could it be that the newly promoted teams have more money and better quality players then they used to have too? I can’t be bothered to check back again but I’m sure there was 1 or 2 newly promoted teams that outspent us before last season, they don’t have to make do on a song and a prayer anymore. Before it was 4 teams that could get top… Read more »
PedRo
“”””CG, your doom mongering had us being relegated 3 weeks ago.
Now Watford have a better attack””
They have a better pool of forwards yes.
Individually our 2 are better, clearly
As for relegation- its looking a lot less unlikely since MA arrived- it was looking a certainty before.
One thing- I have been persistent though.
If you think we are bad this year – wait till next year.
The money has gone…..and when MA lustre goes with it……..we will be back in midtable at best.
Suarez out for 4 months here’s hoping Barca get desperate and bid for Lacazette.
CC, Monreal looked awful in his last season, because he kept getting exposed against speedy wingers. Our setup under Emery was so poor that our fullback were asked to provide width and overlapping runs while nobody was there to provide cover on the space they had vacated. No wonder out fullback always like they were caught upfield. Under Arteta the team slides to the left. Xhaka takes Kolasinac position, AMN move slightly up to block passes. Monreal was not agitating for a move like Koscielny was. We could have keep him an extra year. It is not like Tierney had… Read more »
CG, we’ll revisit that because there isn’t a chance in hell that we will be bad next year.
“He says that wenger ruined the club by making woeful signings but they are all but gone and he achieved better than emery with an inferior team”
They are all gone..the chief culprits are still in the building.
Mustafi, xhaka, kolasinac and now Ozil is done at the highest level and lacazette that cant score 15 league goals?
Re: the CM from lille, he’s weak in the defensive side of things,
its better to get a player who is strong defensively like Sangare and encourage him to improve his attacking side.
Don Keep on believing that this is an Emery argument if you like, I couldn’t give less of a shit honestly. I’m not here to defend anything he did or didn’t do, although the rewriting of reality is a bit tedious. Leno Martinez Cech Koscielney Monreal Chambers Licht Kolasinac Torreira Holding Luiz Sokratis Mustafi Bellerin Tierney Xakha Torreira Ramsey Ozil Suarez Ceballos Cazorla Pepe Iwobi Mkhitaryan Welbeck Aubameyang Lacazette Yeah, that’s a cracking group of players alright. Can we keep on upgrading so we can improve more than incrementally? its not like the other teams in the league are standing… Read more »
Freddy ‘ I think you’re confusing me with someone who cares about Emery. Yes we collapsed at the end.Not sure it was because we prioritised the EL though, we had a bare bones squad at that point due to injuries and the rest ran out of steam. Yes, Emery didn’t make things better with his chopping and changing and muddled tactics but surely a top 4 squad should be able to get 1 win in 5 against lower placed teams?’ Give it up you’re having a mare here son. Emery prioritised the Europa to the detriment of the league no… Read more »
Rambo v Mikky tonight
Juventus v Roma.
Great that Raul gives top experience professionals ( not including the likes of Monreal and Kos)
Away for nothing to Champions League clubs.
Something we wont be entering for a minimum of 4-6 seasons
With no PEA or Laca next week- been invaluable to have some further options.
Clueless club going absolutely nowhere as it is currently structured.
I’ll state the truth- the rest can keep posting fairy tales.
Aah
“So it’s the top 6 that’s got tougher? Not the league? You not knackered? Keep moving those goal posts all day!! 😂”
What positions are we fighting for dumbshit? Seriously, when I thought you couldn’t get any dumber you just keep outdoing yourself well done little Donski.
Another day on le grove, the boys competing about which crush has better boobies, (emery) who got a better behind (Mikel) and offcourse Wenger got the best poonani
You heard it here 1st