How did the new signings do against Liverpool? Badly is the answer

Today Arsenal started three of their new signings in the 3-1 loss against Liverpool, David Luiz, Dani Ceballos and Nicholas Pepe and all experienced a baptism of fire in their first away game in an Arsenal shirt at a top-six Premier League club.

Of course, it is still very early in the season but big players are judged on their performances in the big games and it has to be said that all three could of and should have done better.

David Luiz

Appalling game, responsible for at least two of the goals and he is experienced enough in the Premier League not to need time to bed down, he was absolutely woeful and I can only imagine if Mustafi had put in a display like the Brazilian did today what the reaction would have been. He is not the upgrade Arsenal have been looking for in central defence if this performance is anything to go by.

Dani Ceballos

Brilliant against Burnley, anonymous for the most part away at Liverpool, let’s hope that is not the start of a pattern. It can be argued he was out of position but that is no excuse for his horrendous misplaced pass across the penalty area in the first half, he showed no vision or creativity and he really needs to do better against the big teams if he wants to avoid the treatment handed out to the likes of Mesut Ozil.

Nicolas Pepe

Did better than the other two signings but not by much, he failed to score when presented with a golden opportunity in the first half and the whole idea of spending so much money on him was that he would take those chances. It is still early and hopefully, he will do better but you do not spend over £70 Million on a player that is a work in progress, you spend that sort of money to get results and today he was found wanting.

Conclusion

A damning verdict on all three I will admit and I have high hopes that Ceballos and Pepe will do better as the season unfolds but not with Luiz, I have consistently said he is a liability and he has proven me right in spectacular fashion.

47 Comments

  1. AdMart, it didn’t need this game to prove how unreliable David Luiz as a defender is.Infact many Arsenal fans would be shocked if he didnt makes these kind of mistakes over the season though in general all defenders make mistakes.The one who recommend that we sign him need a to take a good look at himself in the mirror.So this is the player Arsenal replaced Kos with??
    Ceballos’ style of play is very risky and adventurous.If he’s to be played deeper we need a true DM by him and not Xhaka or Guendouzi.I also think he’s a bit sloppy at times and holds on the ball for too long.
    Pepe was signed for a fee totalling €90m.Good player but we overpaid for him.All I can hope is that he hits the ground running sooner and the signs are positive.

    1. I refuse to judge any of our players by our away performance today. Pepe failed to take only one chance in his first full game and that’s nothing to judge him. Messi, CR7 and all great players miss such chances. Big players miss penalties which is even an easier option. Caballos played out of position and no more no less. Luiz, was exposed and put under pressure.You can’t play a midfield of Xhaka, and categorically WILLOCK+GUDEOZZI together and expect anything better.
      Conclusion: Emery is the problem . He used these players in wrong experimental formation. He instructs these players to play in formations that they don’t even understand. Change of tactics with each game every weekend is a wicked idea. Having a plan B don’t mean you should always WATCH, ANALYS your opponents videos and try to cope with them by playing their style. You should always start a football game with your best 11 players available. ALWAYS . Emery in his second season, don’t even know or got a clue of his first 11 team. 2nd, you play and stick to your own game. We can’t keep changing tactics every week. We can’t keep defending against big teams for 90mins. Stick to your own game plan and if it doesn’t work then adopt the plan B in the 2nd half. Arsenal currently has no style of play. We can no longer even dominate possession. We can not attack despite the talents we have. We cannot even defend. What do we stand for as a team? Give Emery all the players in his wish list and sadly, he will come up with the most bizarre lineup you can imagine of! A manager who is serious should always field his best 11.A manager at Arsenals level, should always play to score and not to sit back and defend for 90 mins. What makes it worse, when Emery realized that his so called pragmatisms we’re not working, he did nothing and this exposed his character. Why leave Toroira and Luca in bench for 80 mins while both Gudo and Willock play? It’s now true these two are better than Toroira? It’s now true that Luca cannot be trusted in big games?
      Today Emery lost my respect. Am sorry to say that he is taking us nowhere and you will remember this

    2. IMO the team attempted playing to instructions handed to them by the gaffer. Unfortunately, the instructions were laden with monumental faults and imperfections; as follows

      1. The game plan was not the best fit against the opponent,
      2. The instructions were given to players who didnt have the perfect skill set to execute them,
      3. The starting line up was so crude and mediocre, and
      4. The substitutions were just utterly poor.

  2. Ceballos was played out of position and Burnley at home is completely different to Anfield. He will be fine, has ability and will have more good days than bad. I thought Pepe looked bright and I am excited to see him this season especially with Auba and Laca, hopefully starting next week. Luiz is Luiz, he will make errors but also think he will be ok. Cheers

    1. I am disappointed with Pepe, after doing the hard work and you find yourself one on one with the keeper, I expected an ice cold finish, the Type you buy for £72m against a championship leve

  3. You can play perfectly in all games, its too early to start calling price tags. Not many teams can win against Liverpool at Anfield. Barca got stuffed there and they are unbeaten at their turf for 42games. And you think Arsenal a work in progress will change that. Smh.

  4. We Should look for a better coach that’s all emery don’t have style of play its annoying to see Arsenal playing we look ordinary…(uefa final)

    1. I do totally agree with you. this coach is clueless….he has not style and philosophy… look Klopp…man I love this guy…he is reach the best coach..I think we need to try Allegri next season….the current coach might get us 3-4 position this year!….MIGHT BE..I have no confidence on him!

  5. We lost to the European champions and a team that are yet to lose at anfield in the league since 2017. I knew we were gonna lose but I was hoping we get something from the game. Maybe too early to play Liverpool as the team needs time to gel. I really like Pepe. I saw a fast and trickery player today that we haven’t got In the team for a long time..

    My problem is emery selection. Not just today but seems like he doesn’t know his favourite formation and starting line up. I know he likes to tinker his formation based on the opponent but even his tinkering ain’t working. He needs to access this side of his tactics

    For a man that won Europa league back to back to back, Emery Wake up Please’

  6. Sorry but Pepe had a good game, he’s the first player to skin VVD in over year, he turned robertson like a dream. And whilst he should have scored he made that opportunity himself went he went past one of defenders with exceptional grace to get in on goal. For me there were lots of positive signs from pepe

  7. David Luiz has always been a disaster waiting to explode
    So i wasn’t much suprised

    Pepe is an interesting option to have on the wing
    How i wished Arsenal never sold Iwobi…
    Iwobi would have complimented Pepe on the wing too

    Ceballos was played out of position in order to bring in Xhaka…
    Emery must be let go after this season
    He is just like Mourinho
    Very negative for my liking

  8. I just don’t think Emery is going to add anything or lift this team above the sum of its parts. He was out managed today. Not for the first time.

    This was a perfect game for Laca to start.

  9. Not particularly keen on Luiz but feel he is getting a bit too much blame here….. The shirt pull that led to the penalty wasn’t much (even Salah said he didn’t feel it) and if we’re honest it would have been a goal if he hadn’t made the foul anyway, then the booking meant he had to play it safe for the second Salah goal too or face leaving us down to 10 men.
    Luiz does give our back line a bit of leadership (he’s been giving orders every match he played so far) which is something we desperately needed and his long range passing removes any need for Xhaka.

    Ceballos and Pepe will both be fine, remember they are both new to the squad and the league and it doesn’t come much more intense than playing Lpool at Anfield ?‍♂️

    1. In before Luiz makes a mistake in the future and that mistake can’t be defended.Definitely not the leader our defense needs and not even a leader in the first place.

  10. Let’s see what Emery is going to put out next weekend against Spurs.

    I guess the board has become ruthless but Emery has not.
    The play would have been more faster and energetic with Torreira, Guendouzi, Ceballos and Lacazette.

    But rather Emery chooses to be naive by starting Xhaka over Torreira and Willock (young lad) over Lacazette.
    Seems Xhaka casts a spell over his coaches.

    Today I have lost respect for Emery
    Hopefully he corrects himself before it’s too late.

  11. Stupid team selection. Is Emery having an affair with Xhaka? I thought Emery had courage, but that team selection sold out. We invited Liverpool to attack us. We should have started with Laca and given them some stick. ‘Goodbye Xhaka’ is a new song about to hit the No.1 spot in the Islington charts. Hope it does not become goodbye Emery. Please Emery…. ALPs, Auba, Laca and Pepa all at the same time.

  12. I would argue it was a massive failure on Emery’s part as manager.

    Pepe isolated up top and invisible for periods of the match.

    Ceballos out of position, and asked to play more defensive than creative.

    Luiz is a mistake waiting to happen, and pairing up two wrestlers rather than defenders doesn’t bode well.

    Club spent £200 million on attackers, best facet of our team. Emery set up defensively to what, beat Liverpool at home? Avoid getting thumped and embarrassed?

    Emery’s tinkering failed again by not trusting and fielding his best players. We actually looked dangerous when Laca and Torreira came on.

    Emery is less a tactician and more a tinkerman. Players have different jobs and tasks week to week, its based less on form and more on his tinkering.

    PSG came to realize that, hopefully Raul will as well, or Josh. Questions should be asked if he is the coach to take us forward.

    His philosophy? His style? Exciting attacking football?

    He is a poor man’s Jose I’m afraid, and will crawl into a defensive shell if we get to CL.

    January window should bring a re-evaluation of his performances, and whether he continues next year.

    #toughlove

  13. Luiz was impulsive for both the penalty and Salah’s second. Poor decision-making.

    Ceballos played right into Pool’s counterpress several times. Overplayed at times. Not his day.

    Pepe impressed with his trickery, but needs to be more clinical

  14. Please just play Auba, Laca and Pepe up top. It should be a no-brained every PL game. And for the love of all that’s good, stop playing Xhaka. Too, too slow. Sits his arse out for a foul and pretends like it wasn’t intentional and makes at least one “pass” every week that gives the ball away in from of the box.

  15. Can’t really argue with that. Pepe will cause problems and I’d expect goals, Redknapp spoke fondly of his performance, but a chance like that to really get off to a flier, pitty. Ceballos looked off the pace, Liv spoke beforehand about watching him closely but he never got into the game. Luiz, it doesn’t seem all that surprising but Emery wanted him because he likes him, and you’re right if that had of been some of the usual suspects they’d have been slaughtered, same goes for Ceballos performance.

    Difficult place to go though, and G Neville had some post game words which I don’t disagree with, as difficult as it was at times the players were trying throughout and Liv are European champs for a reason. The biggest threat out there was our own players making/forced mistakes. Liv’s entire game is pressing and taking advantage of 50/50s with second and third balls being chased down. It’s not like Liv ripped us open in open play, setpieces and errors.

  16. Few years ago,Leicester lost heavy at home(to us)-they won the title.Next year,Chelsea lost heavy(to us)-they won the title.We lost heavy(to Liverpool)- we will win the title.Mark my words!

  17. Emery’s mistake today was his selection and not his tactic. Torriera for xhaka. He wanted a narrow midfield that’ll force them wide to put in crosses. They defended that very well. From open play in the first half, Liverpool looked toothless. We had the better chances in that half. He should have made his substitutions earlier. Laca should have been brought on immediately the half began. Truthfully though, I never saw us beating them. But we will annihilate tottenham
    We will get better

  18. Emery apologists should stop already – the man is a liability, nothing more nothing less. How can he not put the attacking front three on the pitch and back them up with a creative midfielder? If he hates Ozil that much he could have out Ceballos there, backed by Torreira & Willock – why out Xhaka and error prone Guendozi to start? A steady Chambers may be been a better option at back too. This is as far as the team goes.
    What about the formation and the tactics? Is he even thinking as a manager? Norwich played better at Anfield and here was have good players sitting in the bench, or didn’t make it to the team at all.
    This is all so disheartening, especially after Pepe said that he can pick out Laca with a pass blindfolded, and what does Emery do? Bench Laca. Is he out to settle scores with the players and destroy good careers? His “creative” players of last year, Ramsey & Iwobi are playing elsewhere. He has for all practical purposes destroyed Ozil’s career and God knows what else he will achieve.
    Like I said elsewhere, last season Ramsey played #10 in the 1-5 defeat & Ozil played #10 in the 1-1 draw. Laca, Auba, Ramsey & Ozil played together in just 5 games and we won them all.

    1. Viju, as an Ozil fanboy, I really don’t think you can say UE has destroyed his career, it’s up to Ozil to make sure UE cannot leave him out and that means proving all the doubters wrong – as I’m sure he will.

      12 hours ago, we were happy bunnies, then UE decided to show what a masterful tactician he was – it failed completely and we move on.

      Since the start of 2018, the new regime has signed / agreed on twelve new players and is bringing on our younger players with the help of Freddie Lunberg.
      He chooses to play Xhaka and makes him captain, so there can be no doubt whatsoever that this is his group of players, his team selections, his tactics, his substitutions and his responsibilities…when the fanbase stops blaming AW, we might just start to critique the real people making the decisions.

      No good saying it will take years to clear up the old regime’s mess, its the new regime’s mess we witnessed today, hook line and sinker!!!

      1. bring back mr.arse wenger please folks.he was the man for all seasons.we are going backwards once again, goodness knows where this coach is bringing us.somebody help our dear old club, please.

  19. I dont really blame any of them. Pepe, Ceballos were put in ineffective roles. David Luiz is David Luiz. I try to be positive about him, but he’s a stop-gap and I said the second we sign him, that Arsenal need to go back and address our CB issue next window because this is not a solution. All we can do is be positive for the next match. We have a whole season ahead so no need to dwell. Emery needs to seriously get it together for our next big away match because his record is not any better than Wenger’s and he’s not showing signs of progress like we thought. When we spend that kind of money in the summer you need to start delivering.

  20. Arsenal midfielders are lazy wilock,guduezi and xhaka…torerra is our best tackling midfielder and he should be in every game…I still sees favoritism in Emery’s selection,xhaxa is zero and I don’t know what the so called guendozi offer to arsenal assist or what?bizzy body…emery with is poor selection as usual that’s why we didn’t qualify for cl against last season palace and Brighton…Pepe will be a great player ceballos and wilock and he should have played lacaz..

  21. One thing Pepe must do in games to come good for Arsenal and himself scoring goals as he has started starting is to eschew profigancy in front of the opposition’s team goal mouth but be clinical in his goals scoring attempts for Arsenal so as to avoid waistfulness in goals scoring for Arsenal.

    Aubameyang too should try as much as possible to also be clinical in front of goal for Arsenal if he is to become a reliable consistent goals scorer for Arsenal and not a reliable sometimes goals scorer for Arsenal.

    David Luiz is pasting itat the top level of the game. That’s the reason Frank Lampard allowed him to go to a direct rival Arsenal, but he could have some grade left in him to deliver for Arsenal as the season continues. We’ll see.

    Ceballos was loaned to Arsenal by Real Madrid to be trained and natured to maturity. So therefore, he’s going through this process of being natured to maturity at London Colney after which he go back to RM. In the main time, I think he could eventually come good for Arsenal this season especially against the lower League opposition teams.

    Emery, the Arsenal head coach is the chief culprit of Arsenal losing today away to Liverpool in the PL. This head coach Emery has show he is tactically inept in starting XI team selection and playing formation suited to adopt for use in the big game. He has coached the Gunners to loose their first big game in the PL at away to Liverpool this season against all hopes by the Gooners who had hoped Arsenal will at least get a draw in the match. The question now that begs for answer is, has Emery the top class coaching capacity to lead Arsenal to beating their top six Premier League rival club sides at away and at home? If he hasn’t, then what is he coaching at Arsenal? Mediocrity? Even if Emery is given world class players in all positions in the Gunners starting XI team and on the bench to use to play matches in the PL, he’ll still be losing matches because he is tactically inept in starting Xi team selection and correct game playing formation style. Today against Liverpool at Anfield in the PL, he adopted the diamond head game playing formation style for the Gunners to lineup in array against the Reds which absurdly proved to be costly to Arsenal in the match. This has to stop immediately.

  22. One thing Pepe must do in games to come good for Arsenal and himself scoring goals as he has started starting is to eschew profigancy in front of the opposition’s team goal mouth but be clinical in his goals scoring attempts for Arsenal so as to avoid wastefulness in goals scoring for Arsenal.

    Aubameyang too should try as much as possible to also be clinical in front of goal for Arsenal if he is to become a reliable consistent goals scorer for Arsenal and not a reliable sometimes goals scorer for Arsenal.

    David Luiz is pasting it at the top level of the game. That’s the reason Frank Lampard allowed him to go to a direct rival Arsenal, but he could have some grade left in him to deliver for Arsenal as the season continues. We’ll see.

    Ceballos was loaned to Arsenal by Real Madrid to be trained and natured to maturity. So therefore, he’s going through this process of being natured to maturity at London Colney after which he’ll go back to RM. In the main time, I think he could eventually come good for Arsenal this season especially in match against the lower League opposition teams in the PL.

    Emery, the Arsenal head coach is the chief culprit of Arsenal losing today away to Liverpool in the PL. This head coach Emery has shown today he is tactically inept in starting XI team selection and playing formation suited to adopt for use in the big games. He has coached the Gunners to loose their first big game in the PL at away to Liverpool this season against all hopes by the Gooners who had hoped Arsenal will at least get a draw in the match. The question now that begs for answer is, has Emery the top class coaching capacity to lead Arsenal to be beating their top six Premier League rival club sides at away and at home? If he hasn’t, then what is he coaching at Arsenal? Mediocrity? Even if Emery is given world class players in all positions in the Gunners starting XI team and on the bench to use to play matches in the PL, he’ll still be losing matches because he is tactically inept in starting Xi team selection and correct game playing formation style. Today against Liverpool at Anfield in the PL, he adopted the diamond head game playing formation style for the Gunners to lineup in array against the Reds which absurdly proved to be costly to Arsenal in the match. This has to stop immediately.

  23. I support this position absolutely.
    A lot of us are considering the performance of the players but honestly, the coach tactics should be analysed. He delayed his substitutions just too long. His team didn’t fight for the balls and showed too much respect for Liverpool. You cannot put Willock on Mohamed Salah and Guenduzi on Saido mane. Also,Xaka doesn’t look fit for the game. Wasn’t impressed with the coach and the teamn performance. We live to fight another day.

  24. Liverpool is a good team. They play like a battalion in the desert. Fight and win. Emery selection team today does not make sense. it is absurd. I would like to see him fired this year: Laca not plying today is one reason.

  25. First of all, UE got the tactics and the team selection wrong yet again.
    Why did we buy Torreira if we don’t play him? He came on and the bite was back.
    Not to play PAL was one of the most ridiculous decisions ever, klopp was laughing all the way to the three points gifted to him, just on tactics…although pool are a very very good team onpar with city.

    After a fantastic debut in the middle of the park, why on earth was Cellabos put out on the wing?
    Pepe was a real bonus for me and with more games under his belt, we will see him become a real asset, a really good prospect.

    David Luiz…I just watched palace beat utd and a certain Cahill was at the back, marshalling the defence and was superb.
    When I suggested (amongst others on here) he would be a good signing on a rolling contract, out came the pack, saying we don’t want chelsea cast offs and we don’t want over the hill players – just goes to show how little some of the pack experts on here really know about the game!!!
    Luiz cost £8,000,000, is a player we all know has an error in him and to say he was an upgrade on Kos, was. again, such nonsense it is laughable.
    Overall, I believe he will be a good signing, but he is what he is.

    What on earth comparing UE to AW has to do with today’s result is beyond any sane man’s thinking.
    It doesn’t matter what AW would have done, who he would have selected or what tactics he would have used – we might as well bring George Graham or Bertie Mee into the blame game – they have all gone and it’s UE team and tactics. plain and simple.

    I’m sorry, but on today’s showing, UE will not, tactically, be able to outwit the likes of Pep, Jurgen or Poch.
    He surely must select his BEST players and not try to present himself as this magical coach who can out think these guys. He is out of his depth, despite spending more money in one transfer window than any other manager/coach in our history (sterling value taken into account).

    Please remenber, however, we still have Tierney, Bellerin, Holding to come back from injury and it is no surprise to realise they are all defenders.
    I would also say, we never gave up – I couldn’t understand a word of what UE was saying (Yes ozziegunner, he can speak better english than I can spanish) – did anyone else notice how Lacs seemed to be so pi**ed off when he came on?

    When we beat pool at the Emirates, it will be such sweet revenge.

    1. “He’s out of his depth “
      You can say that again Ken .
      To be fair though I think quite a few of us saw that after 6 months in his 1st season here .
      It just looks like he’s trying to be smart and doing something different but it never pays off .
      Anyway he’s here for the season so will after put up with it but I can’t see how the board will keep him on unless they have no ambition ofc ,unless he pulls a miracle out of somewhere but after watching his style of football for 12 months now I won’t hold my breath .

    2. Ken I highly agree with your comment. Fielding PAL was a no brainer except for Emery. That front 3 would have kept their FB’s from bombing forward freely.

      Instead Emery gives them free reign on the wings and compacts the midfield. Not with our best DM (Torreira) oh no, but with Xhaka yet again.

      To add further insult he pushes our most creative midfielder (Ceballos) to the wing to accommodate Xhaka. Lastly leaving out Laca was just daft.

      Emery’s obsession with tinkering and trying to prove his “tactical genius” is hurting our chances.

      I know that’s quite a statement but I don’t see it any other way. PAL up top with a 3 man midfield of Ceballos Torreira and Guendouzi was our best chance and go toe to toe with pool.

      Instead, he went Jose-esque, crawled in a shell and got pummeled by their pressure both with and without the ball.

      Simply indefensible to me, wonder what you think? Will he survive if he continues tinkering and not starting our best front 3?

    3. mr.ken1945, sir, you have called it correctly indeed.nobody listens anymore,we are in worse position now then when mr.arse wenger was in charge. please bring him back, nobody can be as naive as mr.emery, surely.

      1. turkman, the days of AW are long gone my friend, as are his players, tactics etc etc…his last two years were the signs of a manager who had lost his way and it is now history…we need to move on as AW does and that’s from a AW supporter by the way.

        Durand, I watched Lacs when he came on in the 80th minute and he was obviously not a happy bunny in my opinion.
        UE got everything completely wrong, tactics, team selection, substitutions and post match analysise.

        I also thought he had got it wrong at the end of last season, but was prepared to listen to those who said he was the man who, once he got his own players in, would show us what’s been missing for the last decade!!!

        There are no excuses left, judging on yesterdays performance.
        He selected Xhaka and made his captain…no hiding behind the “one of AW’s worst buys” excuses that are always rolled out when something goes wrong.

        I understand the three injuries are still hampering his selections and he has addressed the CB position with Salibas, but that’s it!!!
        Yesterday, tactics wise, klopp must have been amazed that he left out Lacs, played out from the back and gave pools full backs all the freedom of the anfield pitch – where is the logic in any of that?

        I have no idea why Ozil wasn’t on the bench, but it seems UE has this thing with big named players like Lacs ( let’s not get into the Ozil debate) and he has to prove who is in charge.

        I don’t think we can judge him completely on one game, but if he comes up with the same nonsensical team selection and tactics against the spuds, the fans will be after his head.

        I’m also wondering where the fans who told us what a wonderfulcoach/manager he was have gone, not a squeek from any of them regarding the above – when they re-surface, it will all be down to AW and Ozil, just mark my words!!!

  26. Iwobi could have helped out in this match complementing pepe on the other flanks. we have some set of players who are not good enough for their positions in the team. Xhaka is so much a. big risk ,all he does in the middle of the pack is recycle passes with no penetration or forward thoughts backward passes or sideways. He needi to be benched. Wilock needs a loan to improve , he has to develop the skill set needed to play at this level. Let us experiment with Luiz and Torreira at the base of our midfield with either Ozil ,Mhikitarian or Ceballos in front of them depending on the opponent. Chambers replacing Luiz in defense . Hopefully Bellerin and Tierney return on time and do proper jobs at their respective positions. I pray Xhaka picks up injury this week

  27. 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

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