The train of unconvincing wins keep on rolling. by Konstantin Mitov
Good morning, afternoon or evening (depending on where you are) lovely Arsenal people! We won our 8th game in a row. The last time this has happened was in 2015 in a run against Everton, QPR, United, West Ham, Monaco, Newcastle, Liverpool, Burnley and Reading. Beating Fulham will equalize this run and make them 9.
It’s an impressive run of results we are in no doubt. Performance wise I’m not so sure. We tried a new system with 3 at the back which was interesting. It didn’t seem like it worked though and at half time we reverted to 4 at the back. I am really enjoying the fact that we finally have a manager who can do tactical changes, make substitutions before minute 70 and brings experienced players to every game.
Had this been a Wenger side, we’d have the kids on the bench. Emery wants a winning mentality and we brought the big guns in case we needed to turn the game, but even though we didn’t, the likes of Lacazette played. Ozil would have an off-day in the past for sure in a game like this. Playing the big guns also helps keep their form going so I am very happy in that regard.
The change in management has a pretty obvious effect on some players too. Iwobi looks a different beast and a lot of us would’ve driven him to a club like Palace last year. I was also really impressed with Leno. Another bunch of good saves and his distribution with the feet is better than Cech, so for all those years we missed a good goalkeeper and a good striker, now we have 2 in both positions.
This game was a symbolic kick-off of the post-Wenger era as it saw the first players who’ve not played under the Frenchman score goals for Arsenal. That said, it still looks like the players haven’t clicked and some areas just lack the necessary quality, so that we can really dominate games.
We need wide players. Part of the reason our defense suffers is the full backs get zero support from the likes of Ozil or Ramsey on the right for example. This is why I feel we decided to withdraw Ramsey’s contract offer, to put his wages into an area that needs improvements. Right now, we have enough CM’s and number tens. I’d enjoy a replacement of Xhaka and Rabbiot’s contract is running out. It’s a true winger that is really missing in the side though.
I think the recruitment with the limited Budget we’ve given Emery has been very good. Sokratis seems like a very good fit for the premier league and if we pair him with a quality CB, I think we’re heading in the right direction. We can see though that the players haven’t really clicked yet. New coaches, new teammates, new training sessions, new tactics and ideas. It will take some time.
Yesterdays score of 3:0 flattered us, but it also asks the question of “what if” we play to our best? You can see confidence is growing inside the players and the fans too. Last season, fans went away hoping that we’d at least show some desire to play and now *say it quietly* we even expect to win against some teams. We should remain grounded and continue working hard. We’ve not beaten the greatest bunch of teams, but having a winnable fixture list and actually doing the job are two very different things.
Next up is Fulham. It’s a tricky away game, but news suggest we’ve given the players Friday off to recover and it’s so important to end on a high before an international break.
Lastly I hope that the fans will be slowly won over by the squad. Seeing empty seats in the stadium hurts. I had the chance to visit Borussia Dortmund as they beat Monaco in the Champions League. The atmosphere at the Signal Iduna Park is incredible. Their Tribune that is equivalent to the North Bank at the Emirates was rocking all game. Songs are sang, flags are waved, people jump and it’s really something to behold. Maybe we can learn a few things from them.
That’s all I have for you today. Wish you all an amazing weekend!
Konstantin
Yes, I also like how Emery trusts young players like Iwobi, Smith-Rowe, Guendouzi and Maitland-Niles. They have proven that motivation and energy are more important than reputation and price tags
I also agree that Arsenal need good wingers, but there must be a reason why Emery did not chase one and loan Nelson
Your analysis about Ramsey’s extension withdrawal could be true as well, because another mega wage for a player with uninspiring forms could destroy the squad harmony. As per your assessment, maybe they would allocate the budget to get a new winger
How many PL teams have won 8 matches in a row in total competitions?
Honrstly, I don’t care how we win as long as we win
Also most of our wins have been by two goals or more
Our 2 losses have been by two top teams -Chelsea and City
With Wenger we had mixed results
With Emery we are beating teams we should beat
Emery is also helping us to find out a way to grind out a win
His substitutions have been excellent and he hasn’t waited till the 70th min to sub
Im personally happy winning and excited with the season so far
The only obvious criticisms are defense and CM
-Our CBs are average to decent and Bellerin has been average
Torreira and Guendouzi are our best central midfielders. our attacking midfielders have been meh
But even with those deficiencies, we still manage to win
Yes they ARE wins.But let’s get real here.Credit Emery for getting the results.But all these games were against teams we should be beating with more authority and composure.Our style under Emery allows teams to get at us too easily and this has been the case in EVERY game we have played.Even Brentford caused us problems when we should have been coasting.
I expect us to win our next three Premier League games as we have a momentum that is very encouraging and shows how hard Emery is working the players.Liverpool at home will be the first true test of how we are progressing as a team and will define the rest of our season.Klopp will EXPECT to win while we will HOPE we can win.This one result will show us the progress against a team who have been moulded over four years.Emery has been in the job four months.
A win over Liverpool will really show us where we are at.
We weren’t winning matches we should be winning Under Wenger
This is a huge improvement under Emery
Also City had plenty of unconvincing wins, draws and losses last season
We can’t win every match 5-0
No but with our defending as it is we could easily lose 5-0 don’t you think?Better teams than West Ham Everton and Watford could have beaten us at the Emirates.I accept we have won away this season at Cardiff and Newcastle and that is an improvement on last season so far.
But we are shortly to face more stiffer tests.We need to be tighter or we will get a pasting against some of these sides.
What do u mean by better teams? We played city in our first game and lost 2 nil & Chelsea away 3:2. Are these not better or d best teams in epl? Please give credit to our players and coach bcos they are improving and doing a great job
Ok let me explain to you what I meant as you obviously have been unable to understand.
Against West Ham we could have been 3-0 down at half time.If that was the Spuds we were playing then we would have been 3-0 down.Why?Spurs are a better team than West Ham.They have a far better defence.They have far better forwards.
Against Everton how many clear cut chances did we create in the first half?Possibly two.Everton could have been 2-0 up in the first 10 minutes.They had 4 good goal scoring opportunities in that first half that they did not take.If that was Man Utd you would expect Lukaku and Sanchez and Rashford to have scored those chances because they are better finishers (despite Mourinho).
Against Watford we were very fortunate to not be a couple of goals down at half time.In the second half Leno was faced with two one-on-ones as well as saving well from a free Deeney shot that he should have scored from.If that was Liverpool we were playing do think Mane or Salah would have missed those one-on-ones?Would Firmino have put away that chance that Deeney missed?The answer is most likely yes.They are better players and better finishers.
Understand now?
Phil, How dare you be a realist and upset the fantasists on here. How could you be so cruel as to tell the plain unvarnished truth to those poor delusionists and ruin their dreams. There are realists and then there are dreamers. I know which side , you AND I ARE ON . THANK GOD! Some of these dreamers are so stupidly optimistic that they remind me of the bloke who fell out of the 25 th floor and as he plummeted down he said “It is fine, so far.” Pointing out obvious weaknesses is not being negative; it is preparing to improve. If you think there is no need to improve, then you don’t improve. FORTUNATELY EMERY IS A REALIST TOO and having now seen ample evidence of Ramseys irrelevance to the team , he has sensibly withdrawn the offer.
Personally I am very happy that the gunners have won 8 matches in arrow
even though they didn’t play good football.Under Wenger they played very well
and lost ie against MU 1-3. The rd were outplayed but won . Who cares how you win . Only a certain fm .
As for Arsenal the winning run has to end at some point and why not before the big game with Pool so that another run can be started.I really hope the defence will toughed up by then.
They’re hard fought wins!! 8 on the spin – happy days! Long may it continue!
To do list in January
1. Find a RW
2.Find a Rw
3. Find a RW
4. Find a fkin RW
Then may be a LW
Spot on Phil.Until we replace certain sub standard players such as Bellerin, Mustafi and Kolasinac, we will not cope with top quality sides like Man City and Liverpool.