Arsenal lost once again at Liverpool and for most of the players, the ratings will not be generous.
It was a disappointing performance and to be brutally honest the 3-1 scoreline does not truly reflect the superiority of the Reds over Arsenal, they were simply better in every single area and while there were some positives to come out of the game, they were very few.
Anyway, here are the ratings
Bernd Leno 6
Cannot blame him for any of the goals and he never made any glaring errors but he did let in three goals and a six seems a fair rating to me for the German stopper.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles 5
Had a torrid time down the right side very rarely made any moves forward and looked out of his depth, though he was not helped by the formation.
David Luiz 3
Utterly woeful performance, he did his job in the first half but that was all undone with two huge errors in the second half. One can be forgiven but not two and the sad thing is that no one is at all surprised. A clear liability yesterday.
Sokratis 6
Did a lot better than Luiz, gave his all under a constant onslaught from Liverpool, threw his entire body into defending on at least one occasion and did show some commitment to the cause.
Nacho Monreal 4
Offered no outlet, lacking in serious pace and looking good against Burnley is fine but against the big boys he is just not fit for purpose and that showed at Anfield.
Matteo Guendouzi 4
Simply not good enough at this level based on this performance. He offered almost nothing in the centre of the park and was overrun by the Reds midfielders, the difference in class was palpable.
Granit Xhaka 4
It is hard to understand why Unai Emery keeps sticking with the Swiss international, he is far too negative, slows the game down when urgency is required and his partnership with Guendouzi is not working.
Joe Willock 7
Best of the midfielders by quite a distance, he went on some nice little runs, showed confidence and fighting spirit. He definitely has a bright future and will take a lot from this experience and was one of the few bright spots.
Dani Ceballos 4
As opposite a game as one can get compared to his performance against Burnley last week. He was largely anonymous and from a Liverpool perspective, he sure provided a beautiful pass to Firmino with a crazy clearance across the penalty area. It is too early to judge but let’s hope this display against the Reds is a one-off because it was rank poor.
Nicolas Pepe 6
Is clearly a highly talented individual and at times appeared to be the only real outlet up front but his miss was a bad one and could have changed the dynamics of the game entirely, and that has adversely affected his rating.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 4
His poor scoring record against the top-six continues and he had a poor game. He offered nothing upfront, wandered aimlessly and when he did get the ball did absolutely nothing with it. He looked a shell of the player we know him to be.
Subs
Lucas Torreira 6
Did more in the time he was on the pitch than almost the entire team with the exception of Willock, scored the goal and should have been on from the start.
Alexandre Lacazette 5
Was not on the field long enough and therefore gets the middle rating of 5
Henrik Mkhitaryan 5
Same as with Lacazette, brought on too late to get a fair rating so gets the average 5
As Hopper from Stranger Things says – Mornings are for coffee & contemplation. I hope Unai feels that way too and has a long look at his line up yesterday… and decides against making the same mistake next week!
Raul should be ruthless with Emery. I won’t say Emery has failed though I’m tempted to, but I’ll allow him next match too then analyze. But should he not prove to be compitent, he should experience the same ruthlessness shown to Elneny and Xhaka
Why is willock a 7. You must really have watched a different match. Those kids in the middle are our biggest problem. You will only see them trying but they are doing nothing exactly. Fabinho, gini and Henderson just bossing them around. And that I’d*t Emery till date still don’t have a formation or a clearly defined way he wants to play. Back four today, back three tomorrow, Diamond against Liverpool. Sack this b**tard. Every top manager knows what they want to do, even if it’s not working out yet. Emery obviously does not!
Just watched it again on MOTD and Klopp pretty much laughed in the after game interview when asked about the diamond formation that Emery deployed .
Luiz did have a shocker but Emery lost us that game before a ball was kicked and it’s nit the 1st time ,he seems intent on trying to prove he’s a tactical genius and quite frankly he’s been shown up on numerous occasions that he’s quite the opposite.
3 games in and that feel good factor seems to be disappearing already.
@Dan-I notice there was not a number out of 10 for Emery.When will this Clown realise his tactics and line-ups are costing us valuable points?He played FOUR CM’s and exposed us out wide.Stevie Wonder could see what was happening and yet he did not change a thing.Driving up I was fairly confident we would put in a performance and that went out the window as soon as we heard the team.We should have played a 4/5/1 and kept two players wide to stifle their full backs.The longer it was 0-0 the more we were still in the game.Laca SIMPLY HAD TO BE IN THE TEAM and XHAKA NOWHERE NEAR IT.
If he had set up with Nelson wide left and Pepe wide right with the focus on shape and containment we would have at the very least kept ourselves in the game.But Emery is proving to not learn from his mistakes and for that the blame for yesterday’s result lies solely with him
Hi baby, I don’t think he will do that. We have potentials and we always look weak simply because of Emery’s selection and tactics. I really want to forget this one quickly and hope we improve.
Same here, Pat! The only thing that will cheer me up, is winning & winning well next week!! ?
Pepe is great, I absolutely like him. He created chances by himself and tried some nice shots. That’s what top scorers do. Let’s be real, even Henry didn’t score in all matches. Henry also missed crucial chances (UCL final against Barcelona). All great scorers miss chances. Pepe is great
Can’t blame the players. UNai Emery killed d formation. That’s d cause.
He opted for a défensive football and hence put all players in difficulties.
@Kingandroidx
I am not saying Emery doesn’t deserve the overall blame, because he does, as the lineup was horrible, 4 central midfielders, no Laca, then bringing him far too late, and tactics were poor in the second half. But I am no sure how you can say the players are blameless? Luiz directly cost use two goals, which was nothing to do formation, or tactics. It was classic brain dead defending. Pepe misses a one-on-one, barely even testing their keeper. I am not sure how Emery can be blamed for those key mistakes?
Emery had a shocker, but so did some of his players.
I still disagree. When you deny your underage children food and the next minute out of hunger they are borrowing food from the neighborhood, who is to blame for their character? Let people carry their own cross and Emery is fully responsible. Two seasons no sytle of play. He can’t figure out his best 11, we can hold on the ball, we can’t defend, we can’t attack, we just a mediocre team with all the talents at his disposal. Wenger could have done better with this team
Wenger would be have conceded more than 3. Wenger also didn’t win an away game against a top team in the league for the last 3 and half years of his tenure, so I’m not sure how you think he would have done any better. Even the likes of Barcelona get battered at Anfield!
Exactly.We were never going to get anything at Liverpool and the same will happen at Man City so we all need to move on and stop moaning
Many periods of d match ball was played in our 18, too much pressure was too much on our defense, our back lines made many clear out if not could have conceded many more. our midfield was like an express way for Liverpool, free flow. Emry is to be blamed.
3 goals I guess
1. Busy holding Van Dijk’s jersey when he could have easily headed clear.
2. Penalty
3. Get beaten easily on a 60-40 duel by Salah, with the excuse of playing safe not to get a Red…
Chambers should play before Holding is back… I repeat, Play Chambers….!!!
In my view the man of the match for Arsenal was Sokratis. He gave his all for the cause.4 players were under 22. Niles; gendouzi; Willock and Ceballos. They were in the team for other reasons not related to merit. Gendouzi and Willock did some running but it was all meaningless. The tactics were poor, and the team selection was even poorer. What point was Emery trying to prove. The scoreline was decent only because after 3-0 Liverpool became less adventurous and were content to see out the match. Mourinho lost his job after a 3-1 loss to Liverpool with much better tactics. Emery was neither brave nor clever. He is clearly good enough for mid table teams such as sevilla; not for teams fighting for honors.Is he trying to frustrate Ozil? Time will tell.Arsenal may have entered another season of frustration.
Emery till date still don’t have a formation or a clearly defined way he wants to play. Back four today, back three tomorrow, Diamond against Liverpool. Sack this b**tard. Every top manager knows what they want to do, even if it’s not working out yet. Emery obviously does not! I never wanted him and he has not done anything to prove me wrong. Useless coach
Rate the coach too and give him a big, fat zero! He fixed that match and made sure we lost. “PAL? No thanks! Xhaka has to be in my team!” Seriously what is it with Emery and his Xhaka obsession? Straight from injury and walks into the team. Pepe on the other hand had to spend 3 weeks before making a start yet he wasn’t even injured.
I don’t understand how a big club like Arsenal can keep using a makeshift RB for 2 seasons in a row. Is there no other RB in this world?! If Bellerin returns and gets injured again, it’s back to AMN?
You make a valid point mate
I also didnt like the decisions of the coach. I thought the liverpool game was very big. How can we manage to leave Laca and Torrera out of the first eleven for all those minutes even when we were trailling? I think Emery is a Liverpool fan. No doubt. He fixed this match
Spot on dude
Unai Emery is clearly the one to be blamed for the flop of yesterday. I wonder what kinda experiment he was still having with Xhaka and guendohzi in the middle of the park. This duo cost us deeply at the start of last season but then,he will sub on Toriera and the game gets his balance back before torreira became a regular starter. He(Emery) should have brought on the subs at halftime knowing that we were lacking but No he accepts defeat doing late subs at 80min allowing Van dyke to displace Pepe.. Why not bring on lacazette to handle VVD to give pepe more freedom. Emery is just clueless…
Perfect analysis!
I tell you I honestly do know Josh wasn’t even expecting that silly line up. He would be expecting PAL because he loves EXCITEMENT, those three will give you lots of it. A manager should be able to field his first 11 I think after one year… But Emery he only have one player out of ELEVEN, THE MIGHTY XHAKA
I just hope he won’t see the end of this season I’m tired of watching his freaking game… Even the smaller teams we can’t beat them easily, such a waste… Lungberg should be appointed 1st team coach asap ahead of that clown.
How can you know your first XI when you introduced 5 new players to the team a few weeks ago? Do the same XI play every week regardless of the opposition?
Stupid comment.
There is nothing much to change in the Arsenal team, that will get you a starting 11…they are there waiting to be picked just that some dumb ass person in Emery and you can’t see it
Our best 11 is suited to the 4.3.3 formation, buh the idiots manager and you think an experiment is needed for one of the biggest match. A formation we’ve never use before something the players are not used to, isn’t that Stupid…?
Actually this goes to you. Out of the 5 players, Tierney is injured. Martinelli is a player in progress. It’s no brainier Pepe, Luiz and Caballos were brought in as starters. So what are you trying to say? That now Willock is better than Torreira? That Luca should be sacrifed for Guodozzi/Xhaka to play?
Danni on the wing is no good play him in the middle with pal in front of him next week against the spurs
Although the obvious individual mistakes were there to see our system and game plan on the pitch was the reason for the type of loss we suffered yesterday. First half I thought we had enough about us to make a good fight in the final 45 although I don’t think we could have expected anything less than a loss. It’s the manner of defeat which is disappointing and so focus to the manager will start to grow now. I don’t get playing out from the back only to launch long balls anyway after a few crap passes and the odd stray one. There is a few positives but too many negatives for me yesterday.
Get Wenger back with this team!!
You’re mad!! ?
We have to go 4-3-3 against Spurs.
Ken that is very hypothetical but thought provoking. It is one of those ‘ifs’ to which we shall never get an answer. Obviously the likes of Jon would want to twist your neck for such a proposal as would many others. But I get the sarcasm in your statement. We have a good squad which is the envy of many most especially the front three of PAL. The question that comes to mind then is “Why didn’t Unai Emery play his strongest team for a game against the second strongest team in the land?” Even after failing to do that why did it take him so long to bring on Lacca? Why should he be casual about such important matters? Why does the coach think he can succeed by being so cautious and defensive against Liverpool? Lastly why should Emery always tinker with his team? Does it make sense to play someone just to please him? These and other questions beg urgent answers before our team sinks back to the level of last season.
If City & Newcastle lose later, I think I will lose the will to live ?
City will win, Newcastle will get spanked.
I get the impression you hate Liverpool almost as much as me, thank god Man City are as good as they are so that Liverpool won’t win the league ?
Absolutely, Will!! Can’t bear them! So cocky, so arrogant! Always rooting for City ?
No need to worry about Nacho as it looks like he’s off to Real Sociadad, but who then plays at left back, surely not Kolasinac?
Gwen Dozy and Willock were equal for me but were left on their own in midfield as Xhaka and Ceballos were useless.
Worst person on the day was Emery. Line up and tactics were wrong and as for his instructions for suicidal playing out from the back, well, SMH!
Gonduzi did fine, considering we were dominated. he was not worse than Willock, which did ok for a player who played a top 4 team for the first time but doesn’t deserve a 7.
Xhaka should be nowhere near this team. Emery’s tactics are so awful it beggars belief.
Positives
Pepe looks dangerous and with more games he’ll have an understanding with Auba and Laca.
We defended well for most part in trying circumstances but the sooner we get Holding Bellerin Saliba Tierney the better, that is possibly AFC’s starting defence eventually, but it’s a big chunk out right now.
Torriera is fit and that’s a big plus. We had more balance as usual with Xhaka, Torriera, Lacazette on the field, Liv stepped off a bit but didn’t switch off and their defence is one of the strongest in the league but we created good chances and got one goal.
We have Tott at home in next game so if we can get back on course then we can forget about this game and at-least we avoided the usual mauling of being cut right open inside the first 20min. They beat us with set pieces, I know a loss is a loss but surely Luiz will be taken out of team if he repeats this, in fact, I’m not sure if he should play next game as CC done nothing wrong to get removed from lineup.
Ceballos will get back into form and his confidence will grow again, we need games with our three forwards and Ceballos because when they get an understanding along with confidence they will be great to watch. Hopefully we take our frustrations out on Tott.
A lot of new faces and maybe too many changes to our shape, v De-Pressing!!!
Some good points Break-on-Through. Although Spurs is a big game to throw him in, I hope Chambers starts instead of Luiz. There needs to be accountability for poor performances. I suspect Emery will learn from yesterday and we will see a much different approach next week. Can’t wait to see what Holding, Bellerin and Tierney can do at the back.
We played a team who got 97 points and are CL CHAMPIONS , what does anyone expect when they have a Ballon d`or contender at the back and we have Side show Bob and trying to sell Crusty the Clown. Stick Messi and Roanldo in this team and we will still never win at Scouseland with a piss poor defense.
Where did Klopp prioritise spending ? and where did we ?…………….you dont win f##k all without a strong defense, but never mind people will be creaming themselves when we beat trhe likes of Sheff Utd etc` !
Stop making this silly excuses. Have you ever heard of upset in football? Emery is our probably. So what if Liverpool won UCL and 97 points last season. We should just go to Anfield and give up for them to win? Emery selection was off and his tactics was useless. Willock is rubbish. Let him go on loan. He is not matured and still playing academy football. Forget all the useless hype around him. Wilshere and Fabregas were far better at that age. Guendozi is not better off, should be a bench player for a team like Arsenal and Xhaka is a clown. And the coach started the three in the middle. They go bossed around and you expect David Luiz not to make a mistake? Off course he will. Emery is our problem. He should leave!
This Liverpool team is not as good as the Pep’s Barca team that won everything. And that didn’t make Arsenal set up cowardly like that when they got beaten 2-1 at the Emirate and even at Camp new Arsenal still stood up to them until RVP got red card.
So who told you this Liverpool team can’t be handled if they were approached better than that stupid set up yesterday?
The best way you can neutralise attack is when you attack back but when you keep running from them, they will keep coming and the will eventually shoot you on the leg if you’re lucky not to get one in the head..
That is so simple.
Thing is as much as I dislike The Bindippers, I dont feel too pissed off as I expected nothing, yet if we dont beat the Spuds next week I will be on anti-depressents and speed dialling The Samaritans for months !
Not sure my heart moniter watch will be able to take it next week, it had a workout yesterday when I was driving and see the most beautifull body I`d ever seen in St Ives, my heart rate went upto 150 beats per min` and found myself aroused !……….thats what the sight of a Morgan Plus 8 Speedster does to me !
😯
Thank you, Le Coq.. that made me laugh, which is very welcome right now!! ?
Morning Sue…………off for a walk/run for an hour…….part of my rehabilitation. I`m testing my new Garmin watch, it does everything and should do for nearly £300 squid !………well apart from helping me out when I`m aroused ! hahaha laterz !
?? enjoy yourself, Le Coq (but not too much ??)
Hope the defence gets better when Bellerin Tierney and Holding return.
Attack should be ok but the midfield is not very good everybody raves about Guendouzi do not think he is really good enough to win the league.
As for XHAKA slow so slow accident waiting to happen just not good enough.
Now need a couple of world class midfielder who dictate the game and also win the ball
I agree with ratings up to the forward line. Auba was ok with no service and no opportunity to pass to anyone centrally, Pépé looked good, again with no one to draw defenders away.
The real missing rating this game is Emery, who deserved a 1 or 2 at most. The game was lost before we started. Bad selection and formation to start. We desperately missed Laca to balance the middle in our attacking opportunities, The lack of width in the midfield and lack of pressing in attack allowed Liverpool to attack the entire game, and forcing Guendouzi to cover the gaping wing left by Maitland niles was just madness. Zero support from either fullback – not helped by having 2 injured first choice fullbacks but hey.
Don’t even get me started about and it seems he’s also turning into Wenger by delaying changes until 63 minutes now.
Oh and Xhaka was absolute shit the entire game. I just don’t get it. He misses passes when they seem obvious, makes a foul at any opportunity and passes sideways when we need to press.
If Emery plays the exact same team from last week except Pépé in for Nelson, who knows?
First, I’d expected a 4-3-3 formation against pool. This will push pool’s Arnold and Robertson back. You can’t use a diamond formation for a Pool team that has one of the two best wing backs.
Secondly, I’d expected a change at the beginning of 2nd half. Torreira for ceballos, and Laca for willock. With the sub, it would have bin a balanced game with one goal down which gives us the chance of at least getting a point.
I won’t blame the players bcos the UE got the formation totally wrong.
Finally, let’s stick to our 4-3-3 formation with our best 11 on the pitch. No time for gambling. Unto the next, I hope UE learnt his mistakes as he has a chance to redeem his image. At least we still 2nd on the table. COYG.
Emery should get zero rating. He is not fit to become manager of any of the PL teams. Torreira Lacazette Ozil….all three should play against Spurs.
the problem is emery and its not just this shambolic performance … he’s a footballing nihilist he has not “ethos” so we are tinkering our way to mediocrity with this guy .. 15 months in to his tenure that is obvious to me … people continue to say he needs time but once a tinkerer always a tinkerer in my books … our future looks like AC Milan not Man City … time to wake up and stop the dreaming
Liverpool were at full strength yet at times their defence
looked woeful but their attack always seems to bails them out.
Despite only 40% possession Arsenals offence
could have score 4 or 5 but didn’t but made some good chances.
Arsenal still have Ozil Torreira Bellerin
and Tierney to return to full fitness and form.
I believe 3rd is Arsenal’s for the taking.
I’m still refraining myself from saying anything negative but can’t help it. The earliest we get Emery out the better. He has really showed himself to be a limited coach and this realist had seen enough of him to know he is going to be our top four bane this season. I have said it he is our weakness this season. What was that crap yesterday even Soton gave them more fight. Get anybody in who is pragmatic and play attacking football win, draw or lose but do it all beautifully.
Surprised no one mentions Sokratis was at fault for the first goal which basically decided the later flow of the game.
I mean, he did exactly as Luiz later – he pulled Van Dijk’s shirt which would have been a penalty had there not been the goal, and Matip was able to score because Sokratis’s action prevented Guen from jumping.
Just saying.
And regarding Xhaka. Yes, he’s not good enough, but in roughly 180 minutes played thus far Ceballos has already made 3 huge Xhaka-type mistakes – more than Xhaka in any random 180 minute interval.
But yes. 4-4-2 was a lottery. If we had scored first it could have worked, but wasn’t the case. 4-3-2-1 would have been better.
Emery cost us the game before it started with his selection.
Torreira and Laca needed to start.
Xhaka is so bad its not funny, he offers nothing!
The line up should have been.
Leno
AMN Luiz Sokratis Monreal
Toreira Willock Cellabos
Pepe Laca Auba
This playing out of defence under any and all circumstances is driving me up the wall. It seems common sense has completely deserted the players. How can you try to play inside your own penalty area when you have 2 players there against 4 opponents. Complete madness. I repeat here again what Einstein said:”Insanity is doing the same thind over and over and expecting a different result”. We can only hope that UE learns from his mistakes. My team vs spuds would be 4123:
Leno
Monreal, Chambers, Konstantin, AMN
Torreira
Ceballos, Willock
Pepe, Laca, Auba
COYG
Klopp started with his strongest team at home, Emery chose to pull a rabbit from a hat convincing himself he was the best magician.
To beat a time like Liverpool at their ground, you must start with the strongest team available to you, that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Emery chose to ignore that simple fact & thought everyone else was a fool. We all knew how Klopp would line up, we all knew how they play and how strong they are on the wings, but not Emery. I knew that we would struggle the minute I saw our lineup. As I mentioned on a previous article, the best you can do at Anfield is counter their pressing & utilize our attack to peg them back. You can’t park the bus at Anfield for 90 minutes, they will find a way to break you, just ask Barcelona.
You can’t have a $200m attack & play like West Brom, that’s totally unacceptable.
Emery needs to realize that people won’t be so patient with him again this season. I’m so gutted.
Everyone is a coach now. Arsenal fans are a joke always looking for scapegoats. You all did the same this to Wenger and now it’s Emery’s turn. So not surprised at these pointless reaction. Torreira, Auba and Laca were present when we got thrashed 5-1.Just putting that out there. Liverpool did not become this overnight, their fans had to endure disappointments for years.
Please check the team sheet and there was no Laca. Ramsey play at #10
I think in the future our line-up should be decided by polls on this site and we should take turns coaching the team week by week.
Sounds like we have many excellent managers here.
Or maybe not?
Ken that is very hypothetical but thought provoking. It is one of those ‘ifs’ to which we shall never get an answer. Obviously the likes of Jon would want to twist your neck for such a proposal as would many others. But I get the sarcasm in your statement. We have a good squad which is the envy of many most especially the front three of PAL. The question that comes to mind then is “Why didn’t Unai Emery play his strongest team for a game against the second strongest team in the land?” Even after failing to do that why did it take him so long to bring on Lacca? Why should he be casual about such important matters? Why does the coach think he can succeed by being so cautious and defensive against Liverpool? Lastly why should Emery always tinker with his team? Does it make sense to play someone just to please him at the expense of the team? These and other questions beg urgent answers before our team sinks back to the level of last season. Emery needs to redeem his reputation.
If Liverpool were short of three of their best back four through injury, they too would struggle defensively.However they have a dedicated defensive midfielder who covers when their fullbacks bomb forward.Sadly we lack a player who has the physical presence,speed,energy and football intelligence to do this job as demonstrated yesterday .Neither Xhaka , Guendouzi nor Willock are capable of doing this job, yet Torreria, who can do so to an extent, was left on the bench.Man City has recently spent £55m on Rodri to replace Fernandino who is getting on and we seriously need to consider signing a DM in the next transfer window if we are to have any hope of matching the top two.
@Grandad i always look forward to your posts .
you are thorough and objective in your analysis of our team .
Arsenals problem has not been players ,i always say this . it is more about mentality and balance .
Xhaka shouldnt be here , Willock is not better than Elneny lets forget the hype . I am rooting for him though .
. i am rooting for him also .
Pepe dribbled a player without scoring a goal and is celebrated after being signed for almost 80 million. Remind me what IWobi did .lol. He is new and will only get better .
David luiz may be on par with Mustafi after yesterdays game.
Our players play like they are not professionals .
If Emery doesn’t know his best eleven by now then he is a joker .At least now we cant blame Kroenke for not spending .
Just a thought ,We should have gotten Sidibe on loan or not let osei tutu go on loan and moved AMN to the midfeild . surely he should be better than our present crop .
If Ozil is fit for goodness sake play him . why pay 350k and not play him .
Kolasinic needs to step up and replace Monreal .
Just my opinion .
As fans it is obvious to see when you are heading the wrong direction.
It is simple logic. Play the best 11.
Is Xhaka the best midfielder in the team?
Two points although I only listened to the match yesterday:
1. Torreira hasn’t been starting because he had a late pre-season due to the Copa America. Hopefully he should be available from now, but cut Emery some slack on that one.
2. Do we think Sokratis and Chambers can play together or are they acutally competing for the the same right side centre back position? We’re shipping a lot of goals because we can’t compete in the air. Is David Luiz a better choice from that point of view?
Maitland- Niles for me should get a zero. He shows no urgency in games and picks out the wrong pass always. Can’t wait for Bellerin to be back. Guendozi should get a higher rating than himas per yersterdays game.
After a night to sleep on it I think I can see what Emery was trying to do.
The diamond did take Lpool by surprise and for the first half it almost worked….. They couldn’t dribble it in due to the amount of bodies in their way which made them rely on Robertson and TAA to cross it in time and again, which we also managed to deal with. Committing so many forward left Pepe and Auba space to use which if they had been more clinical could have turned the game on its head.
Not saying I agree with Emery’s decision but after some reflection it wasn’t quite as clueless as I first thought, and whilst personally I would have gone with the 4-3-3 to put more pressure on them, that would have left us more open which could have seen us concede even more… Who knows ?♂️
The Diamond is Good… But Torriera must play if you want to Contain the Opponent well
With the considerable investment in Pepe, should we now commit to a front three (a la Liverpool).
Surely when these 3 (P.A.L.) bed in it will grow to be one of the best strike forces around … anywhere !
Given the above, settle for 4-3-3 / 3-4-3 (worried about the 2nd option however).
in other words we need to accommodate the 3 up top.
Put the best players on the park, with “ square pegs in square holes”.
Problem is this may leave us defensively exposed ( the old problem area) – a big concern.
But lets’ regain an Arsenal identity, and most weeks (there maybe circumstances to deviate) stick to it.
However, in Emery we trust ( with a nod to the above).
Emery is not the answer. Cut him ASAP because the team he put out against Liverpool was an insult to Liverpool. It’s the same story every year millions of pounds spent on midfielders (sitting on the bench) and a defense which is so embarrassing WHY?
And to make matters worse he still insists on playing the ball out of the back field. A total joke.
And as a 60 year gunner fan I have to laugh when Ceballos had one good game against Burnley and suddenly he’s the second coming. Then the next week he’s shit according to the fans.
Arsenal needs a manager who has a real captain of the team like Martin Keown who I hated but got them fighting for every ball and gave them character, something I haven’t seen in Arsenal in years.
Liverpool and Man C have the two best managers in Europe and when you look at their teams they are light years ahead of Arsenal. We need a manager who builds from the back forward not the reverse.