Well good morning to you, I wrote a post yesterday and it didn’t post, so you’re getting a double hit of the good stuff today. 💉
It’s Mikel press conference time, I’m still getting over the novelty of not spending 45 minutes trying to decipher the buried messaging of an Unai prezzer. I also like the fact that for the first time in 10 years, tuning into the pregame chat is actually interesting.
Let’s jump face-first into what hasn’t changed in forever… an Arsenal manager on transfers.
‘I’m happy we have the squad that I believe we can compete for what we want. I’m fine. I want to keep the players and get the maximum from the players that I want, but if this scenario changes and we need somebody, I’m expecting that we will go into the market and try to solve the issue.’
On whether he has a wishlist just in case.
‘I have, yes. You need to have one always, just in case!’
So the reality of our situation hasn’t changed, we blew our load last summer, and unless a very cheap deal or loan pops, we’ll be tasting the consequences of that until we can shift some of the deadwood in the summer… but at least Mikel has a list of players he likes, hopefully Ever Banega and Big Steve Nzonzi don’t feature. That’d be like finally landing a date with Sienna Miller and finding out she farts when she drinks, which to be honest is how I felt when he started Xhaka… I have grown to enjoy that fragrance though.
The most interesting theme that has run through the last week is that Arteta is very publicly calling Auba his most important player. I can’t deny that it’s true, but it seems to be a very purposeful narrative that he’s pushing.
‘Auba has been around, he was very sad after the game. He was disappointed that he left the team with 10 men. It’s an action that is completely accidental in my opinion. He’s been superb under me, he’s trained really well, he’s working so hard. He’s scoring goals and has probably been the most important player on the team. So to lose him, obviously, is really bad news for us.’
‘I don’t know. I haven’t experienced it. I hope not, I hope we can play better and even win the games and he will be pushing for that as well. Players have to step up. You know, when one of your big players is not there, they have to take responsibility. I’m sure when they’re not playing, they want a chance and they talk. It’s time to talk on the pitch, not outside. You come on there, you make the impact that he made and you sure me that you are as good as him or even better. You have the chance.’
Keeping your best sharpshooter motivated is obviously important, is the extra effort because he wants him to sign a new deal, or is it to keep him motivated despite playing him out of position? Or is Arteta just a really fucking massive fanboy of the man. He has a gold car, that is way cool imo.
My abiding memory of Sheffield United is from the Highbury days when we cheated and scored a goal and Steve Bruce threatened to take his players off the pitch like a giant pink snowflake, an incident that culminated in Arsenal offering a replay for the unfair result. I also remember the FA Cup semi-final when David Seaman made THAT save from Paul Peschisolido.
Things are different now. Chris Wilder, one of the sexy breed of new managers doing big things at small clubs, has made his team quite the spectacle this season. Mikel likes him.
‘The work he’s done is phenomenal and he’s done some special things as well with some movements and characteristics of how he moves his team around, and the demands that he puts on his players. What I like about a manager is when I see a team and they are a real team that fights for every single ball with their attitude and behaviour, as well as their intentions for what they want to do every time. It’s very clear what he’s trying to do, so I have big admiration for him.’
The reality of our season is that this game is very important to our progress. Sheffield United are running away from us, we lose here, it’s a 7 point gap. Staggering considering their outlay compared to ours.
Things are still not looking positive on the injury and suspension front. Kola, Tierney and Bellerin likely won’t feature. LT ‘might’ be back in contention, but he has a hip problem. Our best striker sits out the first of three games. The only thing going for us tomorrow is that this has been the first full week the squad has had with the new training staff. We’ll be a little bit fitter, the plan should be a little more clear, and hopefully we come out all guns blazing for an expectant home crowd. Miracles don’t happen overnight, but a nice run of results against sides we should be beating would build belief in the squad and make us fighting fit for the big games in the cup and against the top 6 sides when they land.
One interesting thing to watch out for is the captaincy. Who does that go to in the new era? The way the team has been playing, I’d expect someone like David Luiz. I feel like he’s bought into the vision and his performances have been immense.
Finally, Head of Medical Services, Gary O’Driscoll, has left the building to take up a new role at Liverpool. I had the pleasure of being toured around the Arsenal facilities by him a few years ago, it basically qualified me to have PHD after my work signature, and it’s part of the reason I’m so revered in the Sports Science community. The article is here, think that was back in the day when Wenger was blaming injuries on hair pills and bad luck. What a time to be alive.
What I think is important about this move is, whilst sad, it shows you how good our backroom team is. The amateur injury specialist scene on Twitter is quite something, generally always wrong about their assessments of what goes on at the club, always wrong when they point the finger out the medical team. This is a vindication of that reality. Anyway, if you fancy the job, you can apply here.
Right, find me in the comments where I’ll be giving a seminar on the latest WADA regulations, have a great Friday night x
As stated, the problem in the squad is the set of midfielders. It’s not even our defense again, the midfielders are just not making anything upfront and they’re inviting pressure on the defenders
@ Cesc
I’d like to remind you that a midfield pairing of Xhaka and Neny were getting us qualified for top 4 in the past. With a run of games, Neny is better that what we have atm..
Words fail me. Shameful – please don’t blame the ref/VAR. And please don’t give me the crap excuse that “Sheffield Utd are a good team”. They are bang average. Instead ask yourself:- Why did Ozil stay on? Why was Cebellos stuck to the bench? Who thought Nketiah was good enough to get a look in at Arsenal when he hardly had a run out at Leeds? Who still thinks Mustafi is good enough to start? Why did it take Xhaka so long to pick up his obligatory yellow card? Who believes that our squad is good enough for top four?… Read more »
If Chelski win at Newcastle, that’s top 4 sorted.
I know Arteta is trying to accommodate his old team mate Ozil, but he’s more than done. He adds mouthing really to what we should be doing, adds no goals, the assist isn’t forthcoming and his a liability defensively. Xhaka is just poor, no vision , can’t tackle, passing is average. Torreira is probably the only bright in the middle. Guendouzi adds nothing as well. And Willock has lost any confidence he had earlier.
Not worried abt the result. Thought we put in an okay performance.
Acceptable these days. Difference between now and a couple months back is that we’re drawing games with less shots on our goal and that’s it
Marc And Arteta is solely to blame for that. Pedro can’t dress that up any other way. If Xhaka stinks the place up and we can’t move him on, blame rests squarely at Arteta’s door because he actually fought to keep him when we could have got £20 – 25 Million for him. The club is on the cusp of having a very unhappy fan base because something worse than anger is taking over and it saw the end of Wenger…apathy. The new manager bounce has been more like a half inflated thud, fans know the squad isn’t good enough… Read more »
Dale
Then that’s down to the manager to try something different – not just send out the same mess week after week and hope they do better.
This is what hapoens when the other team are faster, stronger and fitter in almost every position. Xhaka and Ozil back to being dunces, didn’t take Nostradamus to see that. Imagine having a CM that can carry the ball forward, maybe dribble his man occasionally and pop up with a goal or 2 as well as being able to string a few passes together? Or a Cam that could do the same, ah well. How the management can watch this and think that we shouldn’t bother with this transfer window is mind blowing, hope this trend is convincing them otherwise… Read more »
MGooner
“I’d like to remind you that a midfield pairing of Xhaka and Neny were getting us qualified for top 4 in the past.”
Didn’t happen.
Won’t happen.
Marc
No we haven’t the points return per match is worse under Arteta than before.
If you cant see improvements in the team then you are probably deluded
“” Edu that’s optimistic but not guaranteed. Any team that is winning and draw in the last 10 minutes the team and fans would be dissapointed. We actually gave that away rather than Sheffield United were better!”” Yeh completely understand , but it will turn around , we’ve got players to come back and we will get stronger as we move towards the end of the season I like the idea that the rest of the season is a long preseason for Mikel- tempering my expectations rather than thinking we’re going to all of a sudden become Man City I’ll… Read more »
And to all the idiots who used to say El neny was terrible, he’s better than Xhaka, He had a forward pass in him and he had more pace.
Just accept we’re going to finish mid-table this season.
‘It’s all well and good seeing increased organisation and effort but we lack so much quality. Give Arteta the tools to succeed ffs.’
100%
It’s like some need their hands held and to be told admitting that doesn’t mean you’re excusing Emery or saying it shouldn’t have been fired. It just means you have eyes and a brain.
Points loss are 50/50 today split even between Arteta failing to influence a game, and the refs being on a mission to butcher us more and more. Sadly, both causes feel like recurring events.
We should be beating Sheffield. People saying no match is a given in the Premier league. We’re Arsenal, not relegation contenders.
We just lack the killer instinct at the moment.
Honestly, whoever says we didn’t put up a better show today ain’t got eyes. Arteta jjust needs to know who and when to sub. His philosophy is gonna wear some players out than the others. Unlike ozil, he hit hard two passes that could have put martinelli in good scoring positions in the second half, he was tired and should have been subbed. This draw is killing the players, they are trying but it’s killing them and it’s on arteta
Cesc
As it stands the summer is going to look like this.
Season after Arteta took over – no real change.
Transfer budget – minimal – spent too much last summer.
Now please tell me why I should renew my season ticket again? The Spud’s are there for the taking and we can’t even manage to finish above them.
‘El neny was terrible’
Elneny was a nothing player.
Got enough of them.
Charlie “We got sucker punched after conceding how many chances all game long?” What a load of waffle. The entire premise of Arsenal being better defensively is an embarrassing argument considering how we seemingly throw away leads in almost every game now. But no surprise simpletons such as yourself latch on to the ‘shots conceded’ as definitive proof of defensive resilience. You made up your mind on Arteta being great before he’d even managed a game and now desperately look out for any metrics to backup your stupidity. The principal reason we concede less shots now is because as I… Read more »
Torreira at ten more likely get an important goal these days than ole goggle eyes.
@ Olumide, we are arsenal??? When last did you check the table?
If Arteta takes the Xhaka pill like others before him he will ultimately fail.
Simple as that.
It will be very disappointing if Arteta doesn’t get to work in the summer and gut this current midfield.
“we’ve got players to come back”
Other than Auba (who’s being played out of position) who?
I’d say laca out before arteta. Nobody would be talking about arteta if laca had scored once in…. when didnhe score last? You cant win when yr strikers dont score.
But please feel free to Continue bashing arteta
What do we expect with Ozil, Xhaka and Mustafi in the team?
HOLD THE SAUCE.
“Elneny was a nothing player.”
Still better than Xhaka.
Marc I think they’re going to face real issues in the summer. They got a taste of renewal problems before, it will be worse now if rumours leak Arsenal are looking at internal solutions and City IPing everything. I spoke to someone who is very well connected in the football world last week, good friends with David Dein, never spoken to him before and he was telling me about meeting Gazidis and how he basically told him the challenge was getting the fans on board and getting them to buy in and then managing their expectations. To which I replied,… Read more »
Zacharse
Then why does Arteta insist on playing Auba out of position then?
You’ve got a goal scorer? One who got the golden boot last season?
Then play him through the fucking middle.
“A lot of you point blank ignore what has been happening in the league, this season“ Don’t think for a second this isn’t a choice from some, those angling for a ying to the yang are doing to undermine what’s been written previously. That’s us with 2 wins in 15 PL games, and a league leading 11 draws this season. But apparently there’s also an expectation for Arteta to come in and get 3/4 wins on the bounce to prove himself. It’s such a crock. Sheffield United have drawn away to Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, and us, they’re no mugs…..until… Read more »
Just accept we’re going to finish mid-table this season.
We are now yes. The hope was an initial spike in results under the new manager and an insistence on signings in January. We’ve had no spike it’s been the same and he’s come out with complimentary stuff about the squad gone out of his way to keep Xhaka and made Ozil a key figure in the team. Basically it doesn’t look good for the remainder of the season.
I thought pedro said transfer window additions were discussed and guaranteed before arteta signed for us? Audio news
TR7 apart from the “not conceding shots” thing what exactly was okay about this game?
We didn’t create chances, the final ball always lacked quality, we ceded the midfield for large parts of the game.
I find it odd xG has died a painful death on here.
We are not getting better with games nor is Arteta improving his in game management.
Un
Even Turkey won’t take Xhaka – by far the worst player in the PL currently playing.
“” We should be beating Sheffield. People saying no match is a given in the Premier league. We’re Arsenal, not relegation contenders.
We just lack the killer instinct at the mom””
You obviously haven’t been paying attention- would you have said palace will
Lose today at city ? No match is a given mate
TR7 – The fast starts have already gone down the swanny.
Meant Rambo not TR7.
Wasi
If you cant see improvements in the team then you are probably deluded
The most important improvements Arsenal need right now are points on the table. It’s a results business. Those improvements should lead to better results. In 4 games at the Emirates, we’ve only scored more than a goal once.
Compare the energetic mobile midfield of Sheffield United to our slow one paced weak one..it’s like night and day.
We lost to Brighton at home ffs!
But Arteta should do better with his in-game tactics and subs.
Does he know we are allowed 3 per game!?
Very bizarre to stand still and do nothing to freshen things up when you see your players are running out of steam….just like the Chelsea game
Un I’ll respectfully agree with Marc that, Xhaka is shit. Elneny would have been a better shit than what Xhaka continues to offer in terms of midfield play. He’s a very pointless player really. Can’t pass between defenders, has no pace, can’t tackle…I don’t know what Wenger, Emery and now Arteta see in him.
And in before anyone thinks I’m advocating for Neny, I’m just saying if he can go on loan, Xhaka should be on loan or sold off ASAP to Berlin.
Edu me a favour
You obviously haven’t been paying attention- would you have said palace will
Lose today at city ? No match is a given mate
You all say the Kroenkes are not ambitious then you say things like this. No match is a given but Arsenal should be beating Sheffield United at the Emirates. Simple as that. Sheffield got 4 points off us this season. You’re telling me that’s okay? And since you’re talking about City, why don’t you look at Liverpool? 20 wins out of 21 games (in a league where no match is a given).
Un
So when can I expect Laca to suddenly go on this goal scoring run?
The last 15 minutes against Watford at home doesn’t really do it.
Positives were Pepe who is our only player with the X factor atm, you can see teams are scared of him, too bad no one else around him takes advantage of that, still expect to see more from him as he adapts to the league, but promising signs for sure.
Saka and Martinelli are a cut above the rest of our youngsters, good for Gabi to get another goal and Saka was probably our best player today.
Luiz continues to be our best defender under Arteta although he nearly had some lapses today.
Laca has been utter trash in terms of goalscoring all his Arsenal career.
So what is this nonsense about ‘temporary form’ etc
@ishola
in Neny’s first half season when he was playing regularly we were in top 4.
This whole story of the past 2 years seems like a cock up.
“” That’s us with 2 wins in 15 PL games, and a league leading 11 draws this season. But apparently there’s also an expectation for Arteta to come in and get 3/4 wins on the bounce to prove himself. It’s such a crock. Sheffield United have drawn away to Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, and us, they’re no mugs…..until we play them and then they should’ve been a walkover?”””
A-FUCKING-MEN
Un
Pogba is a gifted footballer – he’s just a prick and doesn’t want to be at ManU.
Xhaka is just worse than shit – always has been always will be.
Anyone who defends him is mentally deficient.
And Leno is quietly looking very frustrating with some of the goals he concedes compared with some that he saves…..I’m trying to work out if the cones in front of him (Ainsley and Mustafi) were the reason he couldn’t save that or he was shit on that play
Rambo Wasn’t a nod to stats you weapon, it was a nod to the fact Sheffield United had fuck all of the game in a threatening position and at no point did they threaten except from a set piece. We’ve gone from toe-to-toe encounters with mid table and bottom half sides to controlling the ball against United, Chelsea, and being wasteful/lacking penetration to take us the step further. What did you want after 6 games again? A return to top 4 and a late go at Liverpool? Completely oblivious to the story of the season with half the gibberish you… Read more »
“We are not getting better with games nor is Arteta improving his in game management.“
Pfft, some sample there to judge. Awfully rich after wanting the last manager to get another season following 55 games and a full pre-season, now Arteta is getting an report card after no pre-season and 6 games. Legend
The arsenalization shall be televised
You heard it here 1st!
Cc
No I expect to be able to pick up a win against one of Bournemouth, Palace or Sheffield Utd.
They’ve lost 26 matches in the PL between them this season so it’s not as if they are unbeatable.
Olumide Thats what we got with Emery. Improvements in results. And if you talk with any sane person he’ll tell you that that type of improving is not sustainable. Kudos to Pedro and some people here who tried to tell us what was gonna come. But even I tried to support the argument that Emery could do well with us. Even though we were mostly winning games through luck or sheer quality of our strikers and Rambo coming on at HT. Guess where that left us 18 months down the line. Worse off than Wenger’s final year. Team completely bereft… Read more »
Charles Nigel Pearson has managed alright, they were rock bottom before he came in losing game after game, look at them now. Saying because we weren’t winning games so should accept not winning under a new coach because he just came in doesn’t wash.
This squad won 21 league games last season, during 18 months of horror and gnashing of teeth. Some even argue this is a much improved squad to last season.
Un
No one is worse than Xhaka.
No one will ever be worse than Xhaka.
“No I expect to be able to pick up a win against one of Bournemouth, Palace or Sheffield Utd.They’ve lost 26 matches in the PL between them this season so it’s not as if they are unbeatable.“
Right, and we’ve won 2 of 15 PL games.
So we win one of those draws, how does that change the landscape for you exactly?
@ Marc
Xhaka did well in Germany and was quite good in the WC before he joined us.
He just happens to be unsuited to the PL because it is quicker. He would be a great player in Italy or Germany.
And btw, the PL is not the nexus of the world. 😉
We didn’t create chances, the final ball always lacked quality, we ceded the midfield for large parts of the game.
That is a worry that is getting conveniently forgotten these days we are awful going forward not scoring or creating near enough chances despite all the talk of how Mikel is going to play football or how elite his ideas are or that City IP stuff. It just hasn’t materialized
Didn’t see or hear the match….but the result was predictable. We cannot keep a lead…that goes back to Wenger and the games I recall diaby played in. We seem to have a consistent DNA for the last 10 years…weak spine… You can argue about players managers and tactics, but basically if your team lacks leaders and a tough spine, you will fail. Arteta will know he needs that strong spine. We are where we deserve to be. Also the talk of Wenger getting top 4 is a silly argument…arsenal were sometimes 20 points off the top… 4th place was the… Read more »
How many penalties are we denied?
Sheffield CB did foul Pépé. A couple of years ago media went justifying a light Bellerin touch on the bottom of Hazard’s foot. A decent percentage of PL matches are decided by fine margins. We regularly seem to get the short end of the stick. Just fuck off.
In a couple of months Pierre will leading the campaign for Ozil to outlast Arteta once he gets sidelined in Emery-like fashion.
This is not Emery vs Arteta or even wenger
Its just an honest assessment or more disappointment that we still not creating enough, our passing is still sideways and backward most of the time, and we are not that much better defensively either, certainly we are not keeping clean sheets
Results is the reason why we changed the manger in the first place.
So far it’s same old same i am afraid
And Ozil is finished , the sooner Arteta realizes that the better..
We didn’t create chances, the final ball always lacked quality, we ceded the midfield for large parts of the game. That is a worry that is getting conveniently forgotten these days we are awful going forward not scoring or creating near enough chances despite all the talk of how Mikel is going to play football or how elite his ideas are or that City IP stuff. It just hasn’t materialized. Yet mind you. Look he’s doing himself no favours with insisting on Xhaka staying and starting Ozil. If he came in and demanded Ozil be replaced in January and then… Read more »
The game was there for the taking in the 2nd half , but as per usual these days we made poor decisions in the final 3rd . There’s no denying that it was a penalty , that would have killed the game as at the time the game was opening up. Nketiah has very good movement off the ball and when he came on we stretched their defence , unfortunately his decision making in and around the box wasn’t good enough but he managed to find space which is something Lacazette struggles with. I’m disappointed with our passing and movement.… Read more »
MGooner
I couldn’t give a fuck where Xhaka might be good – he’s shit in our midfield.
As fro the PL not being the Nexus – well it’s where we play our matches so it’s somewhat relevant.
Don not surprised sarcasm flies right over your head bless you.
I put the 18 months in there for a reason, 18 months of horror is still nonsense
@ Wenker-Wanger Its better being shit and being in the top 4 than being shit and outside of it. The way I see it – Since the Krankies came on board, we stopped buying players and became spineless. I recall seeing Stan at a game dressed in a white suit with black lining, a funny hat with his moustache and specs. He does look like a pompous buffoon. We will never get our club back until he is around. In the meantime, keep buying those tickets and merchandise as he needs to pay Deutsche bank for the shares he bought… Read more »
@receding…
Pearson has inherited a very athletic group of players. Watford were/always better than their showing under the previous manager. I like pearson, but they have some really effective strong players. The guy Sarr looks really good.
I think arteta has a harder job than pearson…
“I’m disappointed with our passing and movement.
Arteta has to get the team playing one and 2 touch football if we are to progress.”
Yeah, you will be waiting a long time for that one.
Wasi
But guess what so many of you want. A REPEAT
You’re funny. We wanted Emery sacked. Obviously, we don’t want a repeat. But what have you seen that tells you there won’t be a repeat?
Improvements in shape is good but even Arteta said it that it’s a results business. I want Arteta to succeed but we need to be winning games. We’ve only won a Premier league game in 4.
“Completely oblivious to the story of the season with half the gibberish you come out with.”
What story is this?
Is it about how a top 4 quality squad were brutalized and damaged by an incompetent Spaniard? Replaced by a younger Knight in shining armor who instantly improved every aspect of play but unexplainably getting the same points out of the top 4 quality squad as his hopeless predecessor.
@mgooner,
Surely you’re not a Wenger diehard fan?
No, surely not.
I think arteta has a harder job than pearson…
Pearson is a nutter. Demands alot from his player’s from the outset.
First game in charge he gave a player the hair treatment for giving the ball away.
@ Pierre
Spot on.
In the past, we used to train players 6 a side. At one point Arsenal was accused of wanting to walk the ball into the back of the net.
Nowadays, we have gaffers who specialize in lip service. Getting the job done is something else.
“Nigel Pearson has managed alright, they were rock bottom before he came in losing game after game, look at them now. Saying because we weren’t winning games so should accept not winning under a new coach because he just came in doesn’t wash.“ I forgot that to be deemed top tier you have to come in and deliver a bounce, Emery had a nice bounce as you allude to……how did that go for us? Oh, yep, lets not go there. Ahh the old red herring usual, “should accept not winning” is not something I’ve written once. Bit like that bollocks… Read more »
A goals a goal, but no one on here can deny that the last 2 weve conceded have been pretty damn lucky. I’m satisfied w arteta. Dude has his back against the wall less than a month in, no options anywhere in terms of subs and thats WITH MUSTAFI starting. I can easily see a big change of form
In the next 2-4 weeks
Arteta on Nelson’s injury: It doesn’t look good. Doctors are assessing him.
Fuck tonne of injuries happening at the club and issues of fitness. Shad getting a free pass or are we still blaming Unia and Mansch?
@samsung,
So whats the point??
(Pearson is a bit passionate, I agree)
Rambo
Average points per match this season before Arteta = 1.277. Average points under Arteta = 1.2
He’s actually worse when it comes to bottom line.
@ Wenker-Wanger
You seem to be a fresher on LG mate. I have been around since the start and was one of the few who wanted Wenger out 10 years ago.
At that time many were blowing hot air up his XXXX.
Xhakalson playing as a CB, Ozil playing dead,
So arsenal have a 1 man midfield in Torr, thats the tactical improvement arsenal have made
You heard it here 1st!
Zacharse
” I can easily see a big change of form
In the next 2-4 weeks”
Really have you actually checked our fixtures over the next month?
In the PL up to the end of Feb we have:
Chelsea A
Burnley A
Newcastle H
Everton H
So your big change of form will bring us what 3 wins? 4 even?
“Average points per match this season before Arteta = 1.277. Average points under Arteta = 1.2 He’s actually worse when it comes to bottom line.”
Brilliant haha
Marc,
Look bruh, you just have to forget the fact that Arteta was hired to improve on the vastly underperforming Emery.
Alright?
Mgooner
“At one point Arsenal was accused of wanting to walk the ball into the back of the net.”
Ah yes , the good old days …I could never understand why anyone would complain when we played the beautiful game.
Where are the people who told us that we would spend a couple of years in mid table and then challenge for the top spot.
Because we were bored of top 4 and and wanted to fight for the top prize.
I’d also like to know where are the millions we had to spend on players but were not expending. How is it that we buy Pepe with anticipated revenues and we now have no funds to buy players when the squad really needs reinforcements.
“in Neny’s first half season when he was playing regularly we were in top 4.”
You said Elneny and Xhaka.
Everyone unfortunately knows that Xhaka’s arrival at the club coincided with Arsenal failing to make the CL.
Arteta has a harder job than Pearson? That will take some explaining.
Don I actually referenced the fact we won 21 league games last season under a supposed incompetent fool not the 22 unbeaten which u seem determined to credit to anyone but Emery.
Now run along
Receding
Sheffield United have the best defensive record in the league just behind Liverpool. Still Martinelli had 2 clear cut chances in the first half before he scored from Saka’s cross. We skied over a few shots in the 2nd half. Yes, we had passages of game wherein we failed to create but given Sheffield’s record this season, we weren’t too bad. At the back we were solid and compact despite Sheffield putting some pressure in the 1st half. i don’t think we were bad today. It was a decent performance.
Mike Dean penalties awarded (2000-2020):
Man City: 15 in 72 – 1 every 4.8 matches
Man U: 16 in 71 – 1 every 4.4 matches
Chelsea: 12 in 70 – 1 every 5.8 matches
Spurs: 11 in 69 – 1 every 6.3 matches
Arsenal: 5 in 73 – 1 every 14.6 matches
For you Pierre..
Marc
He’s actually worse when it comes to bottom line.
Haven’t you heard we improved in shape and got ‘significant improvements defensively’?
Rambo
OK
Not sure what we’re supposed to be doing though!
Cc
Now that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.
And about the Pepe incident, that was a penalty. If we use VAR and can’t get a penalty for that, what’s the point? I know we shouldn’t depend only on officiating but it’s also part of the game.
If that was Man United or Liverpool, they get a penalty.
Ah yes blaming the referee. Back to the good old days of Arsene.
https://www.skysports.com/football/arsenal-vs-sheff-utd/stats/408201
Zero clear cut chances and our keeper made more saves. And technically VAR also didn’t give the pen but whatever.
Mike Riley was actually in the crowd today.
Sure he’ll give Mike Dean 11 out of 10.
@ Pierre We were not winning the top spots at the time and in some matches we really lacked spine but I recall the players were trying their best and you could not blame them for lack of effort. Other times, we had brillant matches and you would feel you did not waste time supporting the team they repaid your faith. Things started going south when they wanted to control transfers. Xhaka is a Gazisdis buy who was enforced on the team. Then we bought Sanchez, Ozil. Attitude problems started after that. We still showed a brave face for a… Read more »
Hey marc
Id say 3 or 4 wins from next 4 fiztures would
Def qualify as a Change of form