Is this the best start or the worst start for Arsenal?

Merson: Arsenal could be in bottom three after two games by Iomie

Club legend Paul Merson has claimed we will be in the bottom three after the first two games of the Premier League season. We head into today’s game against Manchester City as the total underdogs, as many media outlets have given us no chance to beat Pep Guardiola’s side, who literally dominated the League last season and looked solid in the community shield last week.

And it doesn’t get any easier for us next week as we will also be facing a Chelsea side that are on a high after picking up a solid 3-0 victory over Huddersfield at the weekend.

Emery has invested wisely in the transfer window and has tried to get his business done nice and early, so the players could get used to playing with each other but also adapting to his style of play.

But despite all the excitement and optimism around the club, Merson has claimed we have a long way to go to be able to compete with the Premier League’s best clubs.

He told Sky Sports: ‘’He [Unai Emery] couldn’t have wished for a worse start, Man City at home, Chelsea away.

‘They could be in the bottom three after two games, which would be a shame for the manager.

‘Tomorrow you will see a team that will make it very difficult for Man City to break them down.

‘It won’t be like the old days where we have a shot, you have a shot.’

Now I am not expecting miracles under Emery and I honestly believe the style of play under the Spaniard will cause some real problems for City this weekend. So I am disappointed to see Merson try to bring the club back down after a sold transfer season.

The best time to play these two clubs is now, as City always start the season slow and Chelsea are also going through a rebuilding stage that will see many of the players fail to adapt to the style of play under Sarri, who has never won a trophy during his managerial career.

Too many people are doubting the qualities of this Arsenal side, but I am not and am firmly convinced we could walk away from the opening two games with two wins, not two losses. So could this be the best start for Unai Emery, or the worst start?

36 Comments

    1. Anybody watching the game Mers is right you can’t see what is going to happen. Well we are 2_0 down And don’t know what to do with the ball when we have it. We will be beaten next week against Chelsea to bottom of the pile .then we’ll know what Arsenal are made of.

  1. Arsenal will beat man city today…have no worries about this game….they can’t survive at the emirates…I’m very sure….I am more concerned about Chelsea..we have a bad record at the Stamford bridge lately..so hopefully that game will allow us know how our away tactics is going to be like……hopefully through God’s grace,mercy and favour we could win our first three games and from there anything can happen…and once again I repeat…’anything can happen’

    1. Still expecting “a walkover” then? Good to know that “God’s grace, mercy and favour” will help us too! Perhaps even more than better players would, I presume? As a total realist in life, in sport and in Arsenal matters, you are the polar opposite of me. I suppose it takes all sorts to make a world though!

  2. We could actually be bottom today if we get hammered but that won’t happen. By the way, the last Prem game we played without Wenger in charge was in 1996 and we beat Sunderland 2-0.
    Goals by John Hartson and The Romford Pele.

  3. Nice article succinct and on point – we’d all like 6Pts but the “Realists” doubt it will happen, so…

    to be taken seriously (as premiership contenders) we need to beat one of the next two – we need to see man city in the same way we would view an intruder trying to impose their will in our home. if we cannot protect our home it sends the wrong message to others wanting to violate what is our space. Our home record is quite satisfactory, its only going away form that has proven an issue, so the best opportunity to get at City will be here at our emirates home.

    In the event that does not happen and we cannot at least find a score-draw i don’t see that the stamford bridge challenge will be any easier. Do you? Realistically we should expect *2Pts from these next to challenges – any less and we start this campaign playing a game we already know called catch-up.

    1. Head to head since 2010 versus Mancity is W8 D6 L9. We have beat them almost just as much as they have beat us. We must go for victory today even if based on probability rather than form? Do any of the other top 5 teams play against the other hoping for draws? So why are we at Arsenal hoping for draws and the old fool who was weakening the team was duly ejected? If Wenger left and we are still hoping for draws at the EMIRATES then there was no point firing him. We must eliminate this defeatist mentality Wenger wrecked havoc with on this team and fan base in general. Today we win 2-0! Early goal and we sit back and DEFEND till Mancity get frustrated and let in another on the counter while naively attacking.

      1. Arsenal used to dominate the midfield when playing against Man City with Cazorla and Coquelin

        We don’t have a playmaker that is as technically gifted as Cazorla now, but we have the pace of Aubameyang and Lacazette

      2. What is special about 2010? Why not go back to 1930 say? ALL that ACTUALLY matters is how the teams match up TODAY. All previous years with different players are of total irrelevance and meaningless stats are the opposite of truth. Politicians use cherry picked stats to back their case and they do it all the time. It is less than honest – or to put it more accurately, dishonest – and is why they are loathed for being slippery and careless with the truth. Not having a go at YOU, as I know you are a passionate and well meaning fan, but I deplore “bogus” and cherry picked stats / info which distorts and misrepresents the truth. I firmly agree with the rest of your post, apart from your score prediction , as I think we will get a hard fought but narrow defeat with many positives still to take from it. And lastly I HOPE for a win , NOT A DRAW.

      3. after today you’ll have to differ and wake up from whatever you quantify in “your dream” then have to succumb to what is the Quantic Reality. They are the “Champions” whilst we are tasked with finding consistency, some form, composure and restoring our all round belief.

  4. I wish Arsenal face weaker teams before facing Man City and Chelsea, but we cannot change the schedule

    The good thing is maybe Arsenal would consider buying more high quality players, if they get bad results from these two tough matches

  5. Sorry to once again be realistic but in the real world, pundits and all folk are entitled to their opinions. The bookmakers, who get rich through knowing the most likely outcomes, make Arsenal favourites to lose both games. So Merse is merely agreeing with the bookmakers; ALL of them by the way! Shoot down realism all you wish, BUT be aware that by so doing you are continuing to live in a make believe land that harms Arsenals chances of longer term success. To improve, you need to be realistic about where you currently are. I personally believe we will get a draw at Chelsea and a close fought but narrow defeat to City AND that fans will give Emery the time he needs to get Wengers mildewed club back to where we belong. I beg fans to adopt realism as a way of Arsenal life as constant frustration borne of unrealistic expectations only fuels resentment and disenchantment., thus harming vital fan/club harmony. By all means hope and pray, beg even, if it makes you happy, but PLEASE don’t let your fantasies rule your sensible judgement. EVER!

    1. Realistically, Arsenal can win the tough two games if they chase set-piece goals

      Arsenal might not be able to compete with those two teams in open play scenarios, but Arsenal have tall players that can score in set-pieces, such as Aubameyang, Mustafi, Xhaka and Lichtsteiner

    2. If we were to go by bookmakers then Arsenal would never have won even a single game versus Mancity. Have the bookmakers ever had us as favourites versus Mancity? No. Yet since 2010 we have beat them 8 times. The bookmakers can eff off.

      1. Yes, the bookies HAVE had Arsenal as shorter price than City to actually win the game , at Emirates since 2010, though not when away. So your post is inaccurate. I am a professional betting man and keep stats for profit making reasons , as it helps my way of betting and betting patterns often repeat. The devil is always in the precise detail. Bookies back and lay bets, all thee time, to ensure a profit whatever the outcome, over the long term. They can though lose heavily and do so, on individual games but never over the distance.

        1. Bookies work very differently to successful professional betters. Out of interest how do you place your bets Jon?

          1. USUALLY, I BET ON A PROBABLE OUTCOME AT BEST ODDS AND LAY WHEN THOSE ODDS HAVE REDUCED. I have been a professional bettor for many years and have a deep understanding of how odds work and when they will change. The idea is to guarantee a profit, whatever the outcome. I NEVER BET USING MY HEART OVER MY HEAD. EVER!!! Those who do are mug punters and fans everywhere are usually those types, fortunately for me.

  6. Merse could well be right but it’s the way the team applies itself in these two games that will show us how Emery has influenced the players with his ideas and tactics.Lets remember that we are capable of performing here today.We will NOT roll over to them like we did in the second half at the Etihad (after being the better side in the first half) and at Wembley and the Emirates.We WILL be more solid and we WILL have a defensive structure to our game.And it’s not where we are in the table after 2 matches it’s where we are after 38 that matter.

    1. Exactly! I see us getting one point from these two games, against Chelseas BUT I also think we will see much improved attitude, committment and have far more optimism than at any time over the previous many years, under he who shall be nameless.

  7. Would love it if we win today and also v Chelsea but to stand a chance of lifting the title which i don’t think we can do at any stretch will take a hell of a lot more than we have at the moment, but given time and only if we can get the right players in over the next 2 – 3 transfer windows we may one day have a chance again.

  8. I feel we can beat City…

    the game will depends on Torreira if he can assist in the defending and Ozil if he can create the chances

    Auba and Laca guarantee goals but they need opportunities from Ozil and Mkhi…

    We are way stronger and well prepared compared to last season

  9. If you think we have done well in transfer market you have no idea how the big 6 strong are
    Let see who bought, central defender at age 30 slow, right back at the age 34, goal keeper won’t start and 2 defensive midfielders, 1 for present and 1 for the future.
    If we thinking we gonna challenge the big boys we are daydreaming

  10. Admin, Paul Merson made the statement that Arsenal could be in the bottom three after playing Man City (H) and Chelsea (A), which is true if Arsenal loses both games. However, Admin in your first paragraph you change the emphasis to “will be in the bottom three” which is a misquote of what Merson said.
    Thank goodness football games are won on the pitch and not in the media.
    Also bookmakers fix odds and try to take bets covering all competitors in all matches to maximize their chances of winning on any given day. However favorites don’t always win and bookmakers sometimes lose.

    1. About Fkn time, some-one with some common sense.
      Well said, and just for the record Jon Fox, bookies try to maximise the odds in their favour, just like you do, that’s why it’s called gambling even the sure things don’y always win.

  11. id be more than happy with a draw. From both games honestly. If Arsenal win the games they should be winning then that already puts us in a great position.

  12. We need to think about the city game and only the city game. We’ll cross the other bridge when we come to it. Come on Arsenal!!!, Come on!!

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