Manchester City put Arsenal to the sword today, taking no prisoners as they went onto win 3-1 at the Etihad.
The Citizens opened the scoring in the opening minute of the match no thanks to Chickfoot’s (Alex Iwobi) mistake. The Nigerian sloppily gave the ball away to Aymeric Laporte after some early pressure, only for the Frenchman to whip the ball into the middle for Sergio Aguero to slot home.
City continued to pile the pressure on us, and looked like they were going to add to their early lead so many times, but to my surprise we were back in the match. An Arsenal corner was whipped in for Nacho Monreal to knock onto Captain Koscielny to head up and over Ederson into the net. Looks very much like one they had practised on the training ground.
Unfortunately we were unable to build on that equaliser however, and once again we are put under the cosh by our opponents. Some intricate passing by City unlocks Raheem Sterling in the box for him to slot the ball into Sergio Aguero to slot home into an open goal. And that was the first half wrapped up.
The second half was no different to the first either. Even the addition of Aaron Ramsey and newboy Denis Suarez wasn’t enough to bring any joy our way, and they continued to push and push, and not before too long did Aguero have his hat-trick. Although it would be one that his father-in-law Diego Maradona would have been proud of… It was the pairing of Sterling and Aguero once again, although the pass this time ricochets off Leno onto the hand of the striker before ending up in the back of the net. Like the home side needed any luck…
All in all it was an impressive and frustrating performance by the Premier League champions, and our side literally had no answer for the fluid and creative play that was being set upon us.
Well done Man City. Deserved winners. Unfortunately they showed today the gap that remains between us and them.
Did Emery set the team up wrong? Should we have had more players in the middle of the park? Or was there nothing we could have done against City in the mood they were in?
Pat J
-Lichtsteiner is totally finished.
-kolasinac can’t and won’t defend, i repeat he doesn’t care about defending. I honestly don’t like this player, don’t care for his assists if he wouldn’t even care to help his teammates at the back especially monreal today.
-Torreira and guendouzi were our best players.
-The 4-4-2 counter tactics was ok but the selection of lichtsteiner and kolasinac killed us.
-We didn’t have any player to run at them except iwobi who is nothing special.
-It was only 3-1 so we were lucky, it could have been 5 or 6 again.
Kolasinac actually defended, but not as what he used to do, because he was a winger in that match
I agree that Lichtsteiner should be replaced ASAP. Unfortunately Maitland-Niles and Jenkinson were not available, but I’d prefer a young RB from the academy rather than using Lichtsteiner
High quality wingers are really needed. Man City have four of them that cost around 200 M and we only have Iwobi that graduated from the academy
Unai Emery has made some mistakes in his team selection this season. He should drop Iwobi and reintegrate Mesut Ozil . Play a 433 formation. Front 3 of Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ozil. Midfield of Xhaka, Torrera and Suarez. Ozil is a top quality player. No creativity in the team..No intensity in our game. Our build up play is slow. We need to have more ball players. And also play a more direct football. Play long a times. We have a long way to go
Emery will sooner lose the dressing room and we will finish outside of top six. Prepare for a change. Let’s see.
Emery’s is being a real Dick to ostracize Ozil. What kind of manager prefers to leave one of his best weapons simply to show he is the boss. He is using Ozil to address the damage done to his image by Neymar. Arsenal has not improved one bit under him in terms of the quality of our play, our defense is even worse than under Wenger despite LT, and MG. Yes there were injuries too when Wenger was the boss! While I did not expect Arsenal to become challengers overnight, I struggle to see where we have actually improved under Emery (do not tell me we are 5 points better off than last year!). Even. during the 22 game run, how many of these wins were really convincing? Emery will get a pass this time round for finishing sixth again, but if there is no real improvement next season, then he will be gone.
I agree. Why did he omit both Ozil and Ramsey, our two most creative players? Why didn’t we play long at times to counter Man City’ press?
Just ask Palace how the job was to be done!
Again a defence type team selection, no creativity in the middle of the park, sloppy from Iwobi (fodder for his critics till the end of the season).I think we should just focus on Europa.I am done with this Emery bloke.Last time Arsene lost to city there was pandemonium on this site, Emery looses its all forgiven and forgotten. And his fan club will start bashing the previous regime
4-4-2 is bad for a team with defensive problems.I mean I don’t get it.Unai Emery refuses to use 4-4-2 against the smaller teams but used it against City when heckbew how bad we are in defending.In truth I would be been shocked had Arsenal come away as victors today.Why not play 4-3-3 and include a ball carrying midfielder in that midfield?At least you get three midfielders to match the City midfield.The team selection was very poor.
…..I knew the injury to Bellerin would be the ruin of Arsenal for the rest of the season….. That old man is not the solution…all of City’s goals tonight came from his with Iwobi doing little or nothing to help out….The lad was out of the game by the second half and I must confess, Emery has to take the blame for this one….He knows Iwobi doesn’t play well on the right and yet he kept him there for a match of this magnitude…..
…Those points lost against the small teams is coming back to hunt us…. but I am glad we have just Tottenham amongst the top team to play before the season is over…. Emery has to find a solution to our right back issue before that game ….I still trust him and I hope to see a better Arsenal side next season.
Unfortunately Arsenal still have to face Man United as well
The prediction came true, but actually the team defended well in the first half, apart from Iwobi’s mistake. Guendouzi and Torreira were fighters, but their spirit were not enough to lift the team’s motivation, suffocated by Man City’s excellent ball possession
Man City knew that Arsenal’s weaker side was where Iwobi and Lichtsteiner were. I was surprised that Arsenal did not have the confidence to play with more direct ball and 4-1-2-1-2 that beat Chelsea
Arsenal have to acquire new players with better quality next season, otherwise a hardworker and high quality youngster like Guendouzi could seek for greener opportunity elsewhere. Specialist wingers and better fullbacks are highly required
A complete clearout in the summer. Just got back from work and as always against a Top 6 club away we get spanked proper (3-1).
How did the club get to this level? How did the Arsenal board let us get to this level.
Smh
Yet this sorry arsenal board decided not to sign anyone.
There you go you reap what you sow my hope is that the fans won’t continue funding this club until they are ready to treat it as a football club and not a business asset
The team did well with the players we have. I’m just glad that we didn’t get hammered 5-1.
Disappointed in the the result.If indeed we played a 4-4-2 then Emery made a big mistake cobsidering how bad we are defensively.Unai also did not use his best possible lineup like he doesn’t week in week out.What position was Kolasinac playing in the first half?His defensive positioning is so bad.Lichtsteiner shouldn’t have started even if it meant dipping into our reserves.Iwobi was terrible today and when Arsenal finally get a decent winger I’m sure he will be a bench player.But why not play him on the left even?The other usual suspects were still at fault.Thank goodness we played them now and hopefully we can build some momentum against the smaller teams because this team still lacks belief against top teams.Top 4 and Europa league is still achievable despite many saying otherwise.
Kolasinac was a winger and Lichtsteiner should be replaced by a young RB from the academy next time, if both Maitland-Niles and Jenkinson are not available
Iwobi looked lost on the right side and he usually played better as an LW
The club’s decision on not signing any high quality winger before this season started has hit them hard. Loaning another CM while we have abundant of midfielders
Jenkinson should be starting matches.I don’t know why they aren’t even trying him.He has some ability even if not of starting quality but at times hunger propels players to play out of their skin and do better than expected.
Can Jenk be any worse than Lichtsteiner?
He’d do far better imo.Carl Jenkinson is actually a decent player.It was injuries which made him like this.
Jenkinson is injured. So he wasn’t available.
We are now 6th….the clubs above us are better,to be honest.
Yes, even Ole understand premier league better than Emery. He just play as we go.where is the lesson he learned against Liverpool, because that was what he said. Creativity is a major problem and we have players who understand premier league better than Emery on the bench. He can not criticise Ozil if he is this technically bad as a manger.
Ozil has been given many chances to start in big games and he has proven that he cannot carry the team nor is he a game changer
Sorry gotanidea but exactly how many games has Ozil played this season that you folks keep picking on him? How many games was he allowed to play and did on a run?
Ozil is not my favourite players but since the craps we choose to use every time can’t make any difference, what’s the point in not playing him then?? Every old players of Wenger deserved a second chance under Emery even when they perform poorly games after games like Xhaka, Iwobi sometimes, Mustafi and yet Ozil is not allowed to have that much second chance?? Why?.
Can anyone honestly tell me what positive and effective change Emery has brought to this team?
Ozil has been given several seasons and he has been very inconsistent so far
The treatment that Ozil is having indicates that the club might be trying to sell him
Hallelujah!!! Another realist who seems to see the clear and blindingly obvious FACT, as I also do, that Ozil will certainly be shown the door this summer. Though there are some on here who would CHOOSE not to see it , even if Ozil wore a sign saying “GOODBYE Gooners” on his chest. There are none so blind as those who simply refuse to see, despite having working eyes. Wenger was far from alone in saying “I did not see it”!
No sane manager keeps his highest paid player by far unused, unless he does NOT want to keep him. I DO accept that in order to shift lazy Ozil we may have to keep paying a portion of his obscene and ludicrously hiked salary. But he will be gone by August, take it from me and use your brain as well as your eyes, you wilfully blind fans on here!
Jon Fox, I speak without calling anyone any names and I do not abuse anyone directly or indirectly. I can criticise Emery for not using Ozil because he is obviously not doing great without him. My problem is not with or without a player, my problem is addressing a need. Emery clearly need a creativie milder. Ramsey wasn’t good enough don’t renew his contract, Ozil is not good enough so he sits on the bench until someone will come for him, so what do we have, a team that can not compete with any team that chooses to be very good against us on the day. Neither Ozil or Emery owns the team, they are both here to do a job and so the job must be done. To what advantage do Emery does the club if he isn’t doing so much well and he is not addressing the situation. We are very poor defensively, we sometimes don’t create enough, so what are we really doing? Even if Ozil is leaving tomorrow let him do the job of today. Emery is a professional not a father or rivals to players. Ozil is under contract and the two (club and player) has to agree before any transfer can be done so no one can force him out. Even if Emery is has angry as a bird ????.
Jon Fox – we may want to sell him but to do that we have to have someone who wants to buy him and pay his extortionate wages. Can you think of anyone stupid enough?
There are many who will take him IF we pay a portion of his wages. Fools are everywhere , even owning and managing top clubs. Look how many there are on here alone, who ludicrously STILL wish to keep Ozil, the laziest player around, even including Walcott.
“Fools are everywhere”
Looking in the mirror again Jon?
Sorry but your post makes no sense. I believe you are trying to say that OZIL SHOULD PLAY. I fail to understand why!
No Jon Fox, I just don’t want Ozil to play, I want Arsenal Football Club to play and win or at least not lose. We have to be proud of our player’s performances, see improvements, get celebrated. I don’t want a team that others can bash at will. Let all hands be on the deck. And let the manger embarrasss all available players. Don’t outcast anyone when it is clearly useless.
I did wonder when the Ozil bashing would begin Pat, poor sod didn’t even play yet it’s his fault we lost ?
Darling Sue am honestly tired of everything. I hate the fact we lost today playing headlessly , we sure can do better than this. We shouldn’t be fighting with one of our own. He didn’t force the club to sign him and I believe Emery should utilised him while he is still our player. I think that is most reasonable. Have a good week Sue.
I agree with everything you say Pat ??
You too… take it easy & look after yourself ?
Jon Fox your ridiculous focus on Ozil is somewhat pathetic, the team today produced single figure attemps on goal and zero n the second half when we are chasing the game, we have no one that can open up a team and still you continue to attack one player that Emery decides not to play, time to wake up and focus on reality, we need a creative player and the only one we have is Ozil..that is a fact.
Hurrah hurrah!!!
Well said.
🙂
Firstly the facts, rather than YOUR mud throwing which is completely untrue. I do not and never have said that Ozil is the only cause of our team ploblems, so your accusation of me “focusing” on him is wrong. If you care to look PROPERLY you will see that my orininal post was in REPLY to another post in whcih Ozil was the subject. So I merely kept to the subject being discussed, even though you have plainly not realised this FACT. in fact I very much agree that we badly need a central creative player, BUT ONE WHO WORKS HARD AND DOES NOT SLACK, AS OZIL CLEARLY DOES.
Ozil is a very talented player. He just does not fit in the system Arsenal now plays. He will only play if they change the tactics to fit him in. Emery did lots to motivate him to play within the new system. Who knows it nay work. I feel they are both trying to make it work.
Jon Fox, perhaps you could point me to where I accused you of saying Ozil is the only cause of our team problems? Before you go looking I’ll give you a clue….lI didn’t. I am merely referring to the fact that regardless of the posts by others you keep dragging it back to the silly attacks on a player that isn’t playing regularly. That sadly is a Fact. So please get off your high horse and for you of all people to accuse me of mud throwing is frankly laughable, please check in the mirror before making silly comments.
I dont hate Ozil but any other so called world class player would have left if treated this way .
He has been benched to get a reaction on the pitch and nothing .
If Ozil still had love for this game he should have left by now but it is all about the money i guess .
As for t he game against man city . i have to blame Emery .
Even a blind man could see Mancity were playing through Lich .
I dont have a good feeling about D. Saurez.
Auba switches off in games a lot this playing 2 strikers does not work .
How soon do you forget, he can not carry a team. 4 season ago, 3 season, 2 season ago, last season. Tell me in honesty if we are a far better team than these seasons when his passes has given us last minute wins. Last season against Leicester City, against Liverpool, against Chelsea. Gotanidea try and look back and see the facts. We are not better without him. If we are then I would have rested my case. We created ZERO scoring chances in the second half, keep conceding goals like an amateur team. Until someone can give me a better statistic. Football is all about figures and statistics.
The chances he created are not clear cut chances, hence his assist statistic is low since the set-piece tasks are taken by other players
Sanchez created a lot of assists for him two seasons ago and last season, and he was good at scoring
Arsenal are better team without Ozil, proven by winning the big games without him in this season
Which big games did we win? Only two?Yes only two what about the 5 losses to the top 5?
ok
keep playing Iwobi and keep posting your frustrations here!!!
I said it before you have no idea >
exposed the simple fact that after 8 months emery doesnt really have a clue about what he is trying to do other than play out from the back with a bunch of players who are uncomfortable trying to do so … endlessly players were isolated with 2 or 3 city players badgering them and one of ours 20 yards or more away … no creativity through the middle no real threat down the flanks strikers not really sure what they are doing … i cant honestly say that this was better than the 2 nil loss at home at start of season … if we finish 4th i will be (pleasantly) shocked but it depends on both chelsea and manure slipping back and us picking up sharply … if i understood the game plan i might think theres a chance but not likely now
rkw, Emery doesn’t have a clue according to you. Given the lack of quality in this squad, particularly with a defense decimated by injuries, which coach/manager do you believe could do better? Did Emery coach no defender to track Aguero for the second goal?
Let’s be honest the current Arsenal squad, even without injuries is achieving at the level one would expect. Comarison with the quality and depth of the squads above Arsenal, indicates that wiithout significant investment, the expectations of some on here are delusional.
Did Emery coach Iwobi to do a Maradona impersonation on the edge of his own box to lose the ball, instead of hoofing it upfield?
Spurs did not sign a player last summer. They did not sign a player in January and are two points behind Man City. Truth is Emery is not doing enough. Our defending is poor. We had no business loosing games against Southampton and West Ham. The team starts matches as if they are in training sessions. What is the obsession about playing from the back? Why can’t we play long balls? All that matters in the end is a Win. Emery should bench Iwobi and give Ozil a run in the team. Iwobi cannot do what Ozil does: Ability to pick runners, quick passes. Ozil is top quality and should be starting every match.
spurs players are better than arsenal players. their market value says it all as much as i hate to.
We defended well in the first half, had better chances but totally fell apart in the second half. Conceded two goals and created zero goal scoring chances with two very good strikers? . How can this happen in Modern day premier league. And he brought in a defender, to do what actually???? I don’t understand man!!!
To replace the injured Mustafi and Mavropanos could have helped in set-pieces
Mustafi was forced off by injury!
Emery is messing up bad. #EmeryOUt #KronekeOut
In defence of Emery look at the crap he has to work with – this is NOT a squad of players that will make Arsenal a top four contender and aside from Torreira, Guendouzi and Leno (and unfortunately Lichtensteiner) they are not his players…
This squad of players is so god damn awful when a player of previous years suffered a season ending injury I would feel distraught for them and concerned how the team would cope – for example, Pires’s injured cruciate knee ligament against Newcastle Utd.
When Bellerin suffered his injury it was more like “meh….who cares?”
The sad thing is losing a player like Bellerin would not make a piss awful team any worse than it already is – Lichtensteiner is neither better nor worse. When you reach such low standards there are only shades of shite….
Bellerin is just a different shade of shite to Lichtensteiner but both are shite nonetheless..
Before you call the the players crap maybe you will explain what for plan or strategy the manager approach today’s game with. Besides our players can be as scrap as Newcastle players yet the defeated man city.
Based on your apparent considerable experience in coaching team sport Mobella, how do you coach a plan, strategy or system of play when the make up of the team is constantly disrupted by injuries and some players are plainly not good enough to aspire to the level required to compete against the top clubs in the EPL?
If we have Torreira, Guendouzi and Leno last season, we will finish above 5th
Good you started the campaign.
Thanks pal
Forehead smashed in 2 goals against Juventus yesterday sending allegri into meltdown ? ?
🙂 seems he’s raised his game significantly since leaving our shores…
Omg forehead can only mean one person…. Gervinho!!!!
Indeed Sue ? the Ivorian Messi ?
??
??
He has the highest shots on target accuracy (80%) in Serie A. Unbelievable, compared to how he used to play for us
Yikes!! I ?
W2W let’s bring him back ?
@John Wick…his 2 goals would have saved our blushes today – its not such a bad idea given the personnel we got. I spat out my drink after i first read your Gervinho entry 🙂
W2W I would take forehead right now he could show Iwobi how it’s done ? oh haha yeah well he’s got a forehead like the sputnik 1 bless him ?
i also know what a sputnik1 is – your imaginative, there’s a lot of truth in that comparison 🙂 i have a tears laughing here, you’ve saved the day (yet again); no point in throwing myself into the thames after todays effort. Have a good week ahead *John Wick and you too Gooner *Sue.
Haha thanks W2W ? all in a days work mate, beats moping over another lame Arsenal display ? cheers, you too mate ?
Thanks w2w….you too! 6 days & we’ll go through all this again ?
Pathetic performance once again. Silly mistakes on the back, which to led to 2 from 3 goals. Lichtsteiner is clearly past it. Kolasinac was running like a headless chicken all of the time doing nothing. Should have played Ramsey from the beginning. Not impressed at all with Suarez’ 20′ cameo. He is supposed to be brought for the RW position but he apparently though he was a CM. He also lacks the physicality needed in the PL and was outplayed fast every time. Our next 5 matches are must-wins, there are no excuses anymore for Emery and co.
Guy makes Premier League debut… “He lacks physicality”… I honestly dunno why Arsenal fans aren’t the best
Kolasinac and particularly Lichtsteiner were bought because they were free transfers. Unfortunately they have had to be used more frequently than the back up players they were, because of injuries to Monreal and Bellerin.
Some players play the game like breathing the air,natural,whitout panic-this is Guendouzi,born to play football.Others just got old whitout knowing why-Lichsteiner.Why is this guy playing?Same Wenger mistake,playing with 2 LB’sor 2 RB’s.Instrad of playing AMN on RB,Suarez and Ramsey from the beginning.Being scared,instrad of playing a beautiful football.
Guendouzi’s confidence, movements, guts and skills reminds me of Barcelona’s legendary midfielders. They like to hog the ball like him, but also have the skills to protect it
The others, especially the defenders, are too afraid to lose the ball
Arsenal need more fearless and skillful players like him, but the problem is the Diamond Eyes has gone
Best player for arsenal today was leno, Guendouzi and Torreira.. Arsenal need better LB. Emery playing old man instesd of jenko is something I don’t get at all.
You’d think we really wanted this win, right from the moment the whistle went off, everything was wrong, even with the line up.. All defensive players except Iwobi-Lacazette-Aubameyang.
Hold on to your high horse before you come tell me this is a first season for the coach and he has made a difference.
If you really are a fan you’d know nothing has changed with this football club, I love my team but believe me there has been no change, some of you will make excuses such as we have average players, as if our players are that poor.
The only shining light in this team so far this season has been Guendouzi and Torreira.. This should have been a complete embarrassment if not for the saves of Leno.
Klopp in his first season inherited worse players than our team but at least you could tell there was a change.
We stubbornly pass from the back, all around the field and back to the keeper without our attackers having enough chances and yet folks will make excuses upon excuses.
6 months is enough for a dimwit to know nothing has changed with the way we play. We don’t what we really want to do on the pitch honestly, I’ve said it countless times we can’t attack properly, we lack fluidity and and assertiveness on field of play. If we insist we wanna defend against the top teams each time, we can as well give the job to Mourinho then, at least he parks the bus perfectly and effectively.
Even against mid table teams when we try to park the bus and play with seven defensive players, we conceded goals like a basket leaking water. So we can’t attack, we can’t park the bus, what can we do? Run around the pitch, pass from the goalkeeper to the midfielders back to the keeper and it’s an improvement from last season.
I stood back and studied a lot of views from fans on this blog, some try to make excuses, some make valid points, some pointed out the obvious truth and left of sentiments from it. Well it’s meant to be because we all can’t agree on the same thing, but it’s really living in denial to say we’ve changed from how we used to be. We are humans I get it and the one thing we all have in common is the love we have for this club, but everyone wants what’s best for the club.
So well I’ll stop writing here
We are clueless. PLAY AS WE GO. If it works fine, if not we learned like Emery did against Liverpool and we saw the lessons today. I have also ran away from this platform as some people think I am too critical of Emery, some says we don’t have enough good players. I understand we have lots of injuries, but we still have very good players. Emery’s tactics are just simply wrong. His fight against Ozil is not justified. How team is moving backwards.
First match in charge, we lost at home to City. They said Emery needs time.
6 months later we lost in exact similar fashion. There is not much improvement in 6 months is there?
Emery is no Klopp who managed to outfox big boys on his first season.
People who were comparing Emery to Klopp were only setting themselves up for disappointment.Emery clearly has more to prove than Klopp and until they shouldn’t be put in the same sentence.
Not trying to make excuses for tactics, but 6months on, and we have multiple players out of our defence who would have made a difference IMO. Papa, holding, kos, with Bellerin and nacho would have been very different. You have to accept injuries, but we seem to get a lot at the mo (like Klopps 1st season when he changed their style). Absolutely agree on the need for wingers and not sure if Saurez looks capable, but we have to give Unai into next season (plus money from our tight owner) to see if he can make us competitive again
Yes, I see your point.Its just annoying about how Emery was not only being compared to Klopp but being made to equal or at times better than him.We should let the man prove himself
I see Emery as a manager with a lot to prove.When he gets it’s wrong it’s terrible but when right almost perfect.Bellerin would’ve made a difference because he’s younger and better but the guy has been torn apart in many matches this season.At times when defender A or B doesn’t play we say we miss them but yet when they come in they still make the same mistakes.I also still stand by my word that Kos even in his far declined form is still our best defender in terms of his defensive skills.
I also agree, Arsenal need a winger not even debatable and if possible two wingers.
Where did Klopp finish in his first season at Liverpool again?
Klopp was not good in his first season, but he is doing much better after getting his own players
So it would be better to give Emery another season and Arsenal should give him a big transfer budget before the next season starts
Conte won the EPL in his first season at Chelsea. The key to winning trophies is conceeding fewer goals. It is not only the job of the defenders to defend. You need a potent attack as well. A midfield with ball players who drive forward(Wilshire comes to mind). We have a long way to go.
Am not sure Emery can’t take this team forward, selections and tactics has cost arsenal a lot of points this season.
Tomclem, a bit hard to develop tactics and have settled selections when there is currently a revolving door between the pitch and the treatment room.
trash . TRASH ….T.R.A.S.H
time for a song …
R.E.S.P.E.C..TRASH!
THAT IS WHAT IT MEATRASHHHHHHHH!!
this club sometimes makes me want to do things to myself that have been made illegal since the Geneva convention of 1929
honestly if my missus makes a rubbish dinner tonight ..its over
the dream is OVER
? still as funny as always Muff
hi sue 🙂
hope all is well
We’ll be competing with everton soon…..not a single shot on goal in the 2nd half,smh.
Iwobi, Kolasinac and Lichtsteiner were absolute pants today.
At least two of them won’t be playing in the next game, hopefully all three.
I was surprised we even scored! So thank you Koscielny! A very well taken goal
City made it look easy & carved through us on more than one occasion… I’m not too gutted about this, as we’re miles away from being title contenders.. so good luck to City, I hope they win it!
As for our top 4 hopes… not too good when you have to rely on other teams losing…
Absolutely Sue ?
Obviously I don’t like it when we lose John… but look at our team/bench compared to theirs!! I mean come on!! Picked up a lot of dream team points today (thank you Aguero) plus my daughter is happy as her team are back in the title chase!
One day we’ll go to the Etihad & get a result…. have no idea when though ?
One of these days Sue ? I’m not bothered anymore tbh as long as Kroenke owns Arsenal we’ll always be mediocre unfortunately! I just accept we’re an average team and a lot of other fans do as well ? did yous watch it together Sue ?
We sure did! ? how’s your daughter? How old is she?
Was she celebrating when City scored? ? She’s poorly Sue think she has my flu well my old flu and she’s 11 going on 30 haha isn’t all 11 year olds these days.
She may have cheered a little ? but she also did when Koscielny scored! She quite likes Arsenal (well she has to doesn’t she?! ?)
Oh no… of all the people to pass it on to!! Yes they all are indeed… my youngest is 12 going on 20… size 8 feet… taller than me.. he’s a giant ?
Cheering after 40 seconds ? I think I would of changed channel by then haha. That’s very sporting of her though ? haha yeah Sue she must keep her mother happy lol. God and plenty of growing still left Sue… I was a slow grower was small at that age but did eventually get to 6ft or just over 5″11 ?
I did say to her I’m surprised we hung on that long ? 48 seconds is that a new record? It was something like that against Stoke one season not so long ago ?
I’m only little around 5ft 5 (woah Torreira ?) so most people are taller than me ?
Even the darts has been crap this weekend (Price lost – devastated!!) ?
Oh definitely I was expecting a good 20 even 30 seconds! to hold on to after 40 seconds is a defensive masterclass ? Arsenal continue to embarrass themselves on the road Sue ? yeah but your female Sue that’s not unusual I think my mum is about 5’2 sister too ? is that the guy you fancy ?
Haha yes as it’s really weird seeing an unusually tall woman… especially when her fella is smaller than her! I don’t like that – the man HAS to be taller than the woman ?
Yes it is ? so rare seeing a fit, hench dart player… as they’re all usually overweight & have moobs… so Price sticks out like a sore thumb (but in a good way… a very good way ?)
yeah that’s just ridiculous a woman taller than her fella think how unmanly the man feels hahaha luckily I’m not a hobbit so will never have that problem ? haha yeah Sue dart players aren’t exactly athlete’s they are terribly out of shape, must just learn their trade in pubs necking pint after pint ? men with gynecomastia must make women cringe ?
Cringe or envious ???
Haha good one ? ? I hope you have MOTD on record Sue ? I think I’m gonna give it a miss ? gonna watch that quiet place film I hope it’s good ?
Oh sod that John… not going anywhere near MOTD!! ? it’s very good ?
You only watch it when Arsenal win Sue ? ? ? I could be a film critic so we’ll see ? actually watching aircrash investigation on Nat Geo it’s almost over so will fire it up then ?
Of course!! Don’t need to listen to Shearer/Murphy/Jenas pull them apart & state the obvious, I can do that myself!
Air crash investigation?? Sod that also!! Put me off flying for life! I’m watching River Monsters (& that’s only because the darts has just finished & the remote is playing up!!)
I know it’s depressing enough having Kroenke as the owner who will not spend a dime! I really hate that stupid self sustainable model Sue it’s just a cheap way to say we aren’t spending!! Oh it certainly would, that Korean air disaster was terrible ? Jeremy will keep you entertained ?
Yes & that plane has just been found…I know it was coming, but still horrible & imagine how devastated their families must be feeling right now ?
He was trying to catch a shark but caught some other beasty fish instead. Now watching Warm Bodies – love a zombie film ?
It doesn’t say whether it was smashed up or intact I’m guessing it’s been broke up because no bodies have been found yet, could be months before they’re bodies rise up or washed up or maybe never found. Oh god yeah bless them! Haha must of been the bull shark one ? don’t tell me you’re a walking dead fan Sue ?
Imagine if they never find them.. no body, no closure for their families, how would you EVER get over that?? Awful…..
Yes that’s the one.. ? I take it you watch that loads too!! ?
I don’t watch it religiously, but my fav character is Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) I don’t know why but I always like the bad guy! I did love Dead Set though- the big brother zombie programme ?
That’s the reality of it though Sue those two men are in the ocean somewhere currents pulling them miles away and all the sealife it’s really a 50/50 if their ever found and won’t be a nice sight whoever does find them you see what your skin is like after 20 minutes in a bath! It’s just a horrible tragedy that should never of happened! They should never been on that little plane in that weather crossing the sea! Haha I don’t Sue but my sister is a big fan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan is the Winchesters father in Supernatural, hes actually rejoining the series ? what’s this dead set a reality thing ?
Ewww not a nice thought hey….
I thought you’d know him from that ? he’s great in TWD… don’t watch Supernatural, but obviously I know what it is!
It was a series (only 5 episodes) it was brilliant, Davina has her throat ripped out!! It’s on Netflix… defo worth a look ?
Yeah I heard that him and Lucille ? he’s good in supernatural as well ? I don’t even watch Netflix that often but I do hear there’s some good shows on there Sue but yeah I’ll search that ? no not at all it’ll be interesting when they bring the plane to the surface investigate the accident we’ll know exactly what happened.
Lucille ? I do like Netflix- good films on there too!
The weekend is over in a flash… although I’m not back at work until Wednesday ? don’t work too hard John ?
We are only miles away because of this crappy owner that needs to INVEST. This squad needs dramatic changes. The only defender I would keep is Bellerin and Monreal. Everyone else can do one. And our attacking mids aren’t anything to brag about either. This team needs so much help. This is all part of the process though, and I expected to struggle this season. Stan needs to do his part and back the manager and stuff up the money.
Well we’ll have to see what happens in the summer RSH
RSH and Sue, you only have to look at the quality of the comparative on field trams and benches today to see how far Arsenal are behind. How much would the Arsenal squad bring in comparison to Manchestet City in the transfer market?
?
Pat just like you, Sue and a few others who admit the truth about Emery’s relationship with his players and question it while some create excuses and use sentiments every time, I’m not really looking forward to our league games, I believe you and agreed on that term before even the Chelsea game.. Folks can kid themselves here and say a lot has changed, folks can make whatever excuses and try to protect Emery, but you and I won’t.
I credited Emery each time he performed well, I’m not gon give him the pass because it’s his first season, (What a load of sh*t)
Klopp with a worse squad performed better, and please none of you will tell me that Klopp won’t do a better job with these players we have if he could with those useless players back then.
Pat at least you’re on the side of the truth and you know it so it doesn’t hurt you..the rest can keep faking it and creating excuses if they want to
How can you compare klopp’s first season with Emery’s first.
We’re teams as good then as they are today.
Didn’t klopp inherit a team that just missed out on the title?
And last but not least didn’t klopp finish 8th?
Ramterta if we are still discussing if our manger is good enough for us or not, then he is actually not good enough. No argument. I only kept mentioning Ozil because we obviously have a major problem creating goals scoring chances and he is available. Even if Emery wants him out tomorrow, why not use him today. I will say this, Emery has under performed, there isn’t a major improvement to where we were last season, we played worse, lost games that we should have won and no clean sheet. Even peter Chec had some and consideration how bad we were last season. We should not be expecting average performance form our manger. Before Emery remove the mole in Ozil’s eye, he should first remove the log in his own eyes. We are an average team.
Where did Klopp finish in his first season at Liverpool again?
Yes, he knows fully well Klopp finished 8th but of course he won’t allow facts to get in the way of his campaign against Emery. Carry on Eddie, maybe you will succeed hounding out Emery before end of season.
Quantic Dream so I state my observations and my assessments so far a d it’s a campaign against Emery? I can’t even explain my views to you, the one person who we could always disagree and never go on to say stuffs about each other is Jon Fox and he and I already talked about and cleared my views concerning Emery.
I won’t call for his sacking, but it doesn’t mean I won’t admit he’s not the man for us, and no I won’t succeed in hounding Emery out, I don’t own the club, I’m a fan, an honest one who makes his view clear regardless of what anybody thinks..
I make my points without sentiments, none of you, not one of you has answered my question concerning what effective change Emery has brought to the team since Wenger left.
Where exactly are we heading and do we have a gameplay? Answer my questions, if you can’t then don’t make silly assumptions and lines saying I have a campaign against him
Eddie…are you back for good now? ?
Eddie, you believe “Emery is not the man for us”. Therefore, I ask the question, if Emery walks because the owner and board do not support him in the transfer market, which well credentialled competent manager/coach with a better CV, would follow him to the Emirates given the quality of the current squad, the transfer budget, the self sustaining financial model and Scrooge Kroenke as owner?
i’ll answer some it don’t know where it all started Eddie but i’ll discuss what i beleive as improvement to anyone 🙂
What has Emery Brought:
1) in terms of managers he is more lively on the touchline, more passionate than wenger, and seem to be more involved in the play like he wished he was on the field, good for the players good for the fans you feed off that energy!
2) tactics: we are developing some tactics, we are not the best team in England when it comes to player quality so we need to adapt to the opp and not the other way around,we now have tactics against the big 6 which we didn’t in the past it was always 4-2-3-1 and subs at min 70 plus, no matter what that was the pattern! expect for a few games like the City, Chelsea, etc ( he got alot of praise for just switching formation)… now we got tactics when the line-up came up we all assumed it was 3 at the back but it was the 4-4-2 which was needed for today’s game, that to me HUGE HUGE HUGE positive i personally would have put iwobi on the left but he’s the manager, and i realized why when i saw Kola trying to block Walker’s run which he did, that’s why he played as a left mid but he forget the defensive part, not the manager’s fault it’s the players!
3) two midfield link i’ll call it: we are more solid in midfield because the two midfield pair maintain a line with each other 5-10 m apart, thet don’t drift far apart they stay together defend and attack together…that mentality has been established within the team everyone attacks and defends together. unlike before where you had those rambo/wilshire runs!!
4) Training: player development is way better today than it was in the previous regime, new methods and techiniques, focus on videos, focus on set-pieces defensive and attacking, and in the pitch trying to develop day in day out…the other system was more focused on Nutrition and keeping the ball then anything else….alot of movement off the ball based on the training, just look uo the stats of sprints and distance covered by our team this year, and this is year 1 just watch when the players lungs are used to it.
5) Making the best of situation: we are for sure making the best of the situation we are in, we did our pathetic loan deal and we are trying to blood youngsters and improve our own , even the Deadwood Jenkison is back from the dead who would have thought that?
also loan deals to two future starters hopefully at a league which might help their development, hope it works well for both of them and they come back with hunger! I personally don’t agree with the Rowe but if he is not going to play for us, good on the manager he needs the games. can’t remember a loan deal that went well in the past 5 years for any of our players.
6) No favorites: it’s the best performer who plays, hard-work is required by everyone at the club, and if you have a slump in form you get benched just ask granit. i love that mentailty, we had a very laissez’faire mentaility under the French that will soon be wiped out!
7) gameplay: play from the back, defend from the front! that is our new motto!
8) anything you want to discuss specifically Eddie i would be happy to, as these are just bullet point at the top of my head to best give you the answers you ask for, didn’t want to make it too long 🙂
Sal I appreciate your effort and maturity to give a decent reply and engage in this debate.. I’ve seen your points,most of them we all know, and truly we all know that.
My question had “Effective” what change, these trainings, tactics playing from the back and e.t.c, how effective has it been on the pitch? our gameplay on the pitch, has anything changed? All wee seem to do is pass and pass, have possession, less goals and concede goals.. with these tactics, yet no improvement, we still ship in goals and we can’t even create adequate chances or make attempts at goal, other than our goal, how many chances of attempt did we make today? Sal, has all these changes made been effective on the pitch and results? Please give an honest answer
too soon to tell, i see positives in our team shape not based on today but based on our whole season, our momentum has shifted and i’ll be the first to admit that….but the training videos are there to see on the official page and youtube , etc… the training looks intense or maybe it’s commercial i don’t know, to me i see hard work done off the pitch by the manager and staff alot of analysis being done and that’s from fword of mouth from people that work with him at the club….he might be running out of ideas or overthinking things but his desire for success is felt by me at least, i don’t think this manager will make us worse he will only improve our team and he can easily be fired if things go wrong, that’s what you guys don’t get, the days of no results are over, if he doesn’t deliver he is gone!
our creation and shots have dropped, but that has been replace by movement off the ball which seems to be Emery’s focus this year, we are just not good enough off the ball….when we get better at that the chance creation will increase and so will the shots, that’s what i beleive in…we just need abit of time and smart purchases.
we have all discussed where we beleive the team needs fresh blood, here is a good question to you Eddie which should give you an idea if the manager has a positive feeling or not…think of a player that is worse after Emery took charge, i’m saying the regulars and granit has always been the same. that should give you an idea if we are moving in the right direction. i can name a couple that have vastly improved under him and we haven’t finished the season yet..what do you think as i was honest to the bone there mate 🙂
Ramterta if we are still discussing if our manger is good enough for us or not, then he is actually not good enough. No argument. I only kept mentioning Ozil because we obviously have a major problem creating goals scoring chances and he is available. Even if Emery wants him out tomorrow, why not use him today. I will say this, Emery has under performed, there isn’t a major improvement to where we were last season, we played worse, lost games that we should have won and no clean sheet. Even peter Chec had some and consideration how bad we were last season. We should not be expecting average performance form our manger. Before Emery remove the mole in Ozil’s eye, he should first remove the log in his own eyes. We are an average team.
Pat, given this “average team”, if Emery walks because Kroenke and the board fail to support him in the transfer market, which well credentialled self respecting manager/coach would be prepared to follow him into the Emirates given the quality of the squad, the lack of a transfer budget, the self sustaining financial model and Scrooge Kroenke as owner?
At least with Klopp you saw his style and philosophy on the pitch. He had rubbish players, but. You saw his influence.
With Emery? Honestly aside from 5 defenders so we can play from the back, what is his style? Again Laca and Auba starved of service, lack creativity AGAIN, and Emery’s ego keeping Ozil on the bench.
Not like it would hurt. Ozil doesn’t defend; we gave 3 goals up anyway so play Ozil. Iwobi garbage on the right, Lichtsteiner past it, and Emery watches City rape our right side all 1st half.
Anyone surprised by setup, performance, or result?
Thank you Durand!! Ask them these questions please
Eddie bit odd Ozil left out for “tactical reasons”, ok Emery fine. Why not Lichtsteiner left out for “tactical reasons?” Lichtsteiner doesn’t defend either.
Mustafi rubbish, Iwobi is awful on the right, “tactical reasons” don’t matter, why? Play 2 strikers but no midfielder to provide service. Kola as a winger for tactical reasons?
Like you I’m merely raising questions, not hounding Emery out. Merely wondering why tactical reasons only apply to Ozil but not flotsam like Lichtsteiner, Mustafi, and Iwobi.
lookup… or in other words our style will be similar to City, Liverpool, Tottenham with the high press, then we add our twist to it, we just don’t have that twist at the moment all we have is playing from the back, pressing from the front we are toddlers at the high press and you want us to run durand/eddie?…the rest will come with time and the right purchases….. the difference is we are just starting it and you guys are demanding City level performances with what players guys with what cohesion and chemsitry we just started? i’m happy with today you guys aren’t it fair enough, it could have really swung our way before the 3rd!
the attacks where from the right but the missing player was at the left, that one extra body shifts the entire backline with montreal/matteo covering the runs but he couldnt do that as he was marking two players, both silva’s kept making those half runs behind, and sterlin made the most of lich lack of pace and iwobi’s ditzyness but that’s what a good teams does, identifies the weakness…but again the third could have been prevented if our defense shifted right with Kola tracking back, the second was unstoppable so noone to blame there but again if kola was just at the edge of the area during the game than montreal coud have dropped abit and blocked those passes in, the right moved in more unison than the left with the slow lich and iwobi in it but as people have stated, i might see things differently!
ps: you guys must have forgotten Liverpool year 1 under Kloop, and the mistake worth millions that was made by Guardiola with that keeper purchase…but guess what they adapted learned from their mistakes and we will too. we just need the board to back the manager with sweet Cash 🙂
How you explain Iwobi and Lichtsteiner on the right? I’m no manager, but even I knew it would be trouble; And it was! Torched the first half and both goals came from that side.
Secondly, why play both Laca and Auba up top and NO CREATIVITY IN MIDFIELD? oh Ozil out for “tactical reasons” nonsense when 2 goalscorers starved for service.
Again with 5 defenders, 2 DM’s for what? Defend? We gave up 3 goals and a hattrick; no defense or man marking.
Game suited for Ramsey as 1 of 3 in midfield, rather than 2 DM 2 strikers, and nothing created.
Lastly, what was Emery’s game strategy? Wasn’t possession, wasn’t parking the bus, was it counter attacking?
I’m merely asking questions not ushering Emery out.
frustrate and counter-attack was the game-plan….he was very worried about city’s Walker and focused on him whilst negelecting the right ( injuries forces hands)….the frustation part was undone in 48 sec the counter-attacking part was for the reminder of the game. we also looked like we had a game-plan to avoid the press which we did to perfection, that’s why i say counter-attacking.
matteo had the huge task of supplying the forwards alongside iwobi, one played like a god the other cost us a goal, hope this helps this is my view on it, sorry for the late reply 🙂
All through out the game Man city attacked through the right , i saw emery do nothing to change this . at the second goal i would have prefered even mustafi to move there and Iwobi on the right is absolute rubbish . you cant moving players around after 6 months in charge .
Even teams blessed with abundant midfielders need wingers .
Mancity have 4 we have none because Iwobi is not a winger no matter how hard they try to make him one .
If i was the manager a few academy players should get more game time .
Emery is more comfortable with one striker up top . i hope by now he knows it should be Laca.
I wish someone can press the fast forward switch so a summer clear out can be done .(Lich,Xhaka,Mustafi,Cech,Miki and Ozil )need to be gone .
To be fair most most teams lose at City.
Just move on.
13 winnable games left.
Soft Europa League games.
4th place from the league should be a doddle.
I’d focus on the league first.
Man U have a terrible run of games.
Liverpool (H) Arsenal (A) City (H)
Wolves (A) Chelsea (H) Everton (A)
PSG H+A. CL.
CHelsea (A) FA Cup.
Chelsea also have a nightmare fixture list including.
City, Liverpool, Man Utd, Everton (A)
Totenham Wolves (H)
Man U (H) FA Cup
City (League Cup Final)
Plus Europa. Chelsea are basically f#d.
Arsenal Spurs Liverpool are so lucky to be out of the domestic cups.
Easy run to 4th in the league.
the Europa is not needed but will be good for the youngsters.
Edrich Wong, thank you for your positivity; it is a breath of fresh air.
Am not sure what can be done about our defence. ?
Dreadful is the word I would descibe that team performance ..
Why he keeps insisting on playing 5at the back with another 2 defensive midfielders is completely baffling to me .we start the game with 8 defensive minded players but still concede after 48seconds .
This manner in which he’s excluded ozil again baffling,his excuse “it’s for tactical reasons “but brings on a player who as just joined the club 3 days prier.that doest sit with me .
Again he plays iwobi who even by his standards was atrocious today ,I can see why we were so desperate to sign a half decent winger now I know he gets support oh here from his country men but please put the team 1st not you’re country .
Emerys been here 6 months now so i think it’s fair to say he can’t be amune to criticism.
Yes we have had bad injuries but our last manager was never aloud that excuse .
Today just showed me how far we have fallen in the last 10-15 years .quite depressing atm to be an arsenal fan
Like your honesty Dan. How many times now Emery started 5 defenders, 2 DM’s and we still leak goals. Can we question Emery now?
Ozil left out for tactical bullshit lie, but Suarez gets a go despite unfamiliarity with team? So “tactical reasons” doesn’t wash based on that.
Or Lichtsteiner has been embarrassingly bad, yet “tactical reasons” don’t seem to apply to him either.
If anyone can tell me when it’s ok to start criticizing Emery I would appreciate it. Maybe after 32 transfer windows, all his players, and all youngsters in academy reflect his ideas I guess.
I am losing confidence in Emery. I don’t think he gets it right tactically To date before this game he had made 13 half time substitutions which accounts for 46% of the games. Some may argue that this is a good thing and he has the courage to do so. My thinking is that this just highlights that he gets his tactics and team selection wrong from the start and then has to correct it at half time. This is why we start badly but tend to recover in the second half. Just. It would be an advantage to start playing at full speed from the first whistle. Regardless of who the players are the manager needs to manage available resources and get the best out of them. I don’t believe Emery can do this.
Look at Wolves this season. Punching well above their weight.
counter-attacking football like Leicester, they are and have purchased well and i’m sure their fans can’t beleive their luck…but would you pay to wacth your Arsenal play like that? i’m not saying failling at playing pressing football as i can sense the comments coming 🙂
i’m saying play counter-attacking day in day out, sit deep wait for the mistake ,defend constantly ,and try to score with the break, every week would you pay to watch that?
Dan and Durand can you please let me know when Arsene Wenger started a season with two players on long term injuries, then lose three players with season ending injuries?
We’re not a big club. We’re just the biggest small club now. Guardiola called for a “win in style” against us, the fact that he got what he wanted is a sad indictment of our status. We’re not even treated with respect by one of the most respected coaches in the game.
Did he really say that prior to the game? Well he had done his homework, hadn’t he? The fact that City’s second tier players are such as good as our start 11 played a role to that as well…
All hail Lord Emery who shouldn’t be questioned!!!!!!!!!!!! ??????
Careful Jah son or its EKB or EOB all over again. Funny how many WOB’s said AKB’s ruining club, yet get in a tizzy if even question Emery.
Just pointing out what I see and read, before anyone says I’m a Wenger lover or Emery hater.
I love Arsenal fc, always first and foremost, managers and players come and go.
Tried googling what formation we might be using next week but it’s still searching..,………………………….,……
Ha clever Jah son love that comment. They will certainly be coming for you now for questioning Emery’s tactical decisions.
Jah son, how about putting forward some positive solutions, instead of constantly being a knocker.
I’m interested to know if you have even played sport at a competitive level let alone coached?
???
Sue, I’m disappointed in you.
Ouch! That hurts Ozzie…..
Time to be realistic
Forget Top 4 and Top 5
F*** the PL this season
Also don’t get used to Suarez. He will be off in the summer!
We expected this result so I’m not disappointed
We need to think about the summer
In our whole Squad we have 3 maybe 4 players who should be regular starters for a Top team: Aubameyang, Lacazette, Torreira and Guendouzi
None of our defenders would have any chance of getting in a Top 5 team. Not even Everton
Even Bellerin isn’t a true defender. He is a winger
Iwobi, Xhaka, Ramsey are bang average
I used to be an Ozil fanboy after he scored 19 assists and 6 goals that season but two seasons of poor performances with the occasional genius moment means he now he must go. He can not play well consistently and £300,000+ per week is crazy money for a player who plays poorly against Top teams and plays well once in a blue moon.
Give the money to someone who deserves it.
Nobody can justify keeping Ozil.
Emery should play him more until the summer though.
Good News: We won’t do worse than last season
6th place is safe in my opinion
BTW Don’t be hard on Emery. He was given a turd of a team. He isn’t a miracle worker. At least he has given us Torreira and Guendouzi (Lichtsteiner and Sokratis were poor signings though)
Let’s have a huge clear out, sign New players and build a team around Aubameyang, Lacazette, Torreira/Guendouzi! Also bring back Smith Rowe and Nelson for next season
?
Ramterta, Yes as expected, this excuse will come up.
The main point is the difference both coach showed in their first season, Klopp inherited a shitty squad, don’t use their title slip stuff as an excuse, Klopp stamped his gameplay and we knew what direction Liverpool were heading..
What direction is Arsenal heading under Emery?
8 months isn’t good enough to know these players aren’t comfortable with the ball especially the defenders??
8 months isn’t enough to know we can’t actually park the bus? Even when we parked it against lower teams we’ve conceded, so what’s your point?
Will you honestly answer my question and tell me What change and difference has Emery made to this squad that’s effective and clear after 6 months?
Please I need an answer
I’m with you on this one Eddy. Imagine Mustafi had the highest passing % against cadiff and Ozil was the only attacking player that came close to him. If their is anything that has changed that is it and what are we getting from that injuries to our defenders and redundancy in our attackers upfront. Can some please tell me what tactics does play….attacking?, defensive?. Where is the pressing game he promised. I’m ready to be patient with Emery but I’m in the dark as to what direction he is taking us. In regard to Ozils constant absent from the team enough has being said about that but I don’t think he won’t have given as much as every of our players on the pitch today. Finally, what does PEA brings to the team aside his goal.
Mobella you’re lost too?? Oh well at least you don’t see it as some campaign someone up there tried to paint it.
Now you need answers too, well that makes you and I alongside Jah Son who demands answers but haven’t gotten any, all we’ve got is excuses and sentimental talks
When did Klopp start a season with two players with long term injuries and then lose three players to long term injuries? How do you discount Liverpool finishing second under Rogers prior to Klopp’s arrival?
How does any coach/ manager develop a team direction when his selections are constantly disrupted by injuries? If you look at successful teams they are always able to field consistent stable teams with strong options on the bench.
Let’s be honest Arsenal doesn’t have a good enough squad to do better than where they are. Unai Emery is a good coach, highly respected by his peers; he is not Merlin the Magician.
I, for one, have always made the point that Emery should be given at least one season before judging him. The worrying thing is we are actually going backwards after a great start to the season for which UE got the credit so should now take the blame for recent poor performances. His high press game will not work with most of the team as you can’t fit ‘square pegs in round holes’, he should have sussed that by now. And lastly, I think his issue with Ozil is personal and he should have used the January window to move him on because how can you pick Suarez who has been in the team for about two minutes ahead of him?
Can’t believe the negativity.
Arsenal will get 4th from the league 100%.
City are a super club so no one seriously expects to win there.
United and Chelsea have horror fixtures lists.
Both will be playing Europa next season.
3 weeks from now the same whingers on here will be saying
how they knew Emery was the man and they always backed the players.
Plastic fans.
Just read the fixture list
I read the fixture list.
We are playing
Spurs away
United home
Everton away
Leicester away
Wolves away
If we can win one of those matches Id be amazed. More likely we are guaranteed to drop 10 points in those matches.
Here here McLovin I’d actually be surprised we got any points from that.
Arsenal will win 10 lose 3. = 77 points
Stop smoking dat $h*t Edrich!!
You’re probably an optimist but your presumption about results is unrealistic and you can’t predict the future mate.. back on planet Arsenal we tend to be realistic and have done sinse 2009!
Long gone are the days of dreamers… I will have some of that stuff you smoke though!
Might numb the pain a little ??
Much as I disagree with some of Emery”s decisions, I can’t recommend for his sacking. He needs more time to adapt to the EPL. However his team selection has at times been questionable. Why should he persist with Iwobi and drop Ozil when the former has become a great liability? What has Iwobi done right that Ozil has failed to do? Today’s game would have been ideal for Ozil because of his creative skills.
Neither convince. I dont think Iwobi being bad is evidence that Ozil would be any good. They are both simply not good enough if we want to go forward. Iwobi passes as a squad player, and thats fine because of his low wages. But we can’t afford to have Ozil be just a squad player.
Other managers have a system of play and then they find the most suitable formation to match it. Whenever other teams play they try play there style and show dominance. Our manager says his tactic is to study the opposition system of play and then decide how to defeat them. Even pundits are now saying the man is going around in circles.
Thought I saw Emery fumbling with his zip. Oh dear…
Spare a thought for our away fans. The closest they game to an Arsenal player after the first half was when a few of they came over to applaud them after the final whistle.
And Mavraponas didn’t put a foot wrong on his ten minutes so cue the frenzied calls for him to start.
Suarez? Can only get better and if he doesn’t at least we can give him back..
After months of calling for Kolasinac to play in the midfield I have to raise my hand and say “My bad”. Really disappointed in his display as it looked like a front three most of the time with his lack of tracking back.
@Trudeau-thank you.The M6 was a nightmare as always and I have just got home.Pathetic performance and the only good to come out of the weekend was the fact we don’t have to play them again this season.We are no better or worse than last season imo and I’m still with Emery.But FFS.
GET OZIL IN THE TEAM
We lost. Pitty. Expected. Don’t underestimate the strength of City and don’t discount. Chelsea still has to go to City. Also losing Bellerin has cost us a lot. In fact, losing Holding and `bellerin for the season hurts us a lot against the big teams.
I trust the manager and think he is having a good first season given what he has to work with and to transform in terms of bad habits. However, I can not understand not playing Jenkinson. If he is so bad that he ranks behind Lichtsteiner why didn’t we dump him during the summer? Jenkinson has to be better than Lichtsteiner. Also, why is he not playing Mavropanos? Move Mustafi to right back and play Mavropanos a CD. In fact, don’t play three at the back and play Kos with Mavropanos.
I think the manager got it wrong this time.
Also, we need to give players time, in fact, I think we need to give them a full season before we judge them but first impressions are first impressions and Saurez looked timid and unexciting.
Where is Th14?
Yes Sue I’m back for good??
Woohoo!! Happy days! Welcome back ?
Lol…Glad to be back Sue!! and oh TH14 is currently not available, even if he is, the reason we lost today would be Ozil,Elneny and Xhaka’s fault most especially Ozil for trying to dribble inside our box, Ozil failed to pass out, and he failed to stop Aguero from getting his hat trick… Oh MOTM goes to Iwobi?..Come out now TH14 we won’t bite
??? he has to come on here at some point!!
We won’t see him sue he will come back next week when this game as been forgotten ,like I said before he only supports arsenal because of you know who
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More like he’ll have an injury. I have been an Ozil supporter, but I am now convinced that he has lost his ticker, knocked back a loan deal and is happy to earn money for old rope.
Gazidis has a lot to answer for!
I have read little on this thread except semi controlled or uncontrolled hysteria against the undeserving Emery. Get real some people please! We were outplayed by the best Prem team probably ever or certainly since our OWN Invincibles! What did anyone expect? I will tell you what some were predicting on here just yesterday or pre-game; they were predicting a win or a draw. What apart from blind hope ever gave anyone those daft ideas! A series of crippling injuries forced the inclusion of either Licht or Jenks at RB. What a choice! No choice at all actually! Do you play the merely useless one or the disastrously past it one? Well he chose the latter and yes, it was a mistake. No doubt at all. But he hardly had a Viv Anderson or a LEE DIXON TO CHOOSE FROM, DID HE!
The awful and bitter to swallow plain truth is that a load of rubbish defenders were left behind by the previous mananger who shall remain nameless. With the mere pittance allowed by Scrooge last summer Emery had to fix the embarrassing and disgraceful decade long HOLE at DM with Torreira and shore up the keeper position, as well as find a slightly less awful CB than Mustafi, which is a precise description of Sokratis.
I hate to remind those too dull to see this truth but in life it is impossible to make a silk purse from a load of sows ears. The less awful of those sows ears are also injured for the season, though I exclude the promising Holding from that charge.
In creative midfield we have two cheats in Ozil and Mhki who are cheating the club out of approx £550,000 each and every week for lazing around, being injured or even faking convenient injuries in Ozils case. So our only two central midfielders with creative ability are useless and effectively out of action. That being said, what else , other than pack the defence today can ANY manager do at our club, raped of ambition by Scrooge Kroenke. How I hope the NE Patriots whip his Rams arses tonight too.
Some have mentioned Klopp by comparison, for good or ill. But Klopp had the backing of owners who cared for their club and proved it financially. Emery as yet has had ZERO real chance , yet still the unfair hysterical fools continue to criticise him. You should instead be calling on Kroenke to sell. THAT would accomplish what we all want. As Souness said on TV today , Emery IS A TOP MANAGER WITH A TOP AND RECENT PEDIGREE. KEEP FAITH IN HIM AND CRITICISE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING HIM LITTLE CHANCE AS YET. KROENKE, GAZIDIS AND WENGER. THEY ARE THE VILLAINS!
Pretty much how I see it.
I’m not a fan of cheque-book managers who are rated top class when all they do is outspend the others, eg Dalgleish at Blackburn and Liverpool.
The simple fact is that the academy players in crucial positions are not ready to step up and injuries expose that. Sub-standard (for whatever reason) players need replacing. It needs a financial injection to provide the stability necessary to build upon. Even with the finance it will take probably two or three more seasons.
Only just watched it because of work, and pretty much what I thought. I said we’d definitely lose, and concede at least 3. I had 4-1 in my head, so not far off.
I thought Leno, and Guendouzi were excellent. What was Iwobi doing? And that goal on halftime just killed it in my opinion.
I notice fans complaining again. and clearly as delusional as always! It was City away, Emery had 7 players missing through injury, and it’s a transitional year with a mostly average squad of players. I am not even annoyed by the result. Fully expected. Some of our fans have lost all perspective of late. Let’s give Wenger years, upon years of chronic failure, and consistent humiliation against our rivals, but Emery doesn’t even get 2/3’s of a season, and it’s not even his squad! Haha!
There’s no excuse for conceding this many goals so far this season ,no matter how much you defend him .
Yes it’s his 1st season yes he needs time but some of his decisions are baffling .thats not being delusional that’s just fans wanting what’s best for the team ,we have every right to question his decisions,how long are you going to give him to sort the team out ?
Our defending has been poor, but that’s not Emery’s fault. He loses his best CB (Holding) in early Dec for the season. Bellerin was out injured for a while, comes back briefly, before his season was ended recently. Sokratis was only bought in the summer, so he needs time to adapt, and the same for Leno, and neither of them are WC. Koscielny only recently came back from injury. Monreal’s been injured for a lot of the season. Kolasinac missed a huge chunk at the beginning of the season. Lichstiener just over for a holiday. Welbeck, who isn’t a defender, but fantastic at defending from the front, had his season ended early Nov. Not to mention all the other injuries as well. I really feel that the fans don’t realise just how much of an impact that many injuries can have on ANY team.
I am not saying Emery hasn’t made mistakes along the way, but that has to expected, as he’s trying figure what does, and doesn’t work, and who are the players he can trust, etc. Like I keep saying, Emery gets a free season from me. Even next season I won’t be too harsh on him, because I think he needs a minimum of 4 transfer windows, before we can start seeing some real difference. And even with 4 transfer windows, will he given a fair amount of funds?
Forgot to mention Mustafi who is awful. Mavro has missed around 2/3’s of the season, and only recently back. Sokratis also injured for a while now. Cech, who is done! Jenkinson…I refuse comment! AMN who isn’t even a defender, and guess what…injured !
Bellerin and holding were wenger signings and they have prob been our best defenders this season ,emery signed 5 defensive players in the summer he should have that team running how he wants them to play by now ,but he seems to change his tactics every game ,team selection is very strange from subbing players at half time and again playing players in unfamiliar position (wenger aswell I know ).
All I’m saying is that I think he should have the team more stable by now but it he seems not to know his best formation or team
I agree, I’d like to see a more consistent lineup from week to week, but the injuries have stopped Emery from doing that, he’s still learning what works best, and I also like the fact that he drops players if form is poor as well…which I like. I think he went around 80 games in a row, without using the same starting XI in consecutive games, whilst at Valencia. So I guess we’ll have to get used to his tinkering.
Dan kit, how can Emery have the “team more stable by now”, when player availability due to injury is constantly impacting on team selection?
How about 22 years like the folk who STILL like Wenger stupidly gave him! Emery has had 6 measly months and had repaired the decade long gaping hole at DM and restored effort and fight. He still has to get rid of all Wengers joke so called “defenders” and fight all Scrooges wallet moths for a pittance to spend on PROPER defenders. And still the hysterical mob on here lose all sense of perspective on the fine man who has restored fight , grit and pride in wearing our shirt after the WENGER YEARS OF FAMINE. And I haven’t even mentioned the plague of long term injuries which you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. Hysteria! UGH!!!
Yes Jon but you’re obvious dislike to wenger is clouding you’re judgement of emery .i like you called for wenger to leave as early as the 2012 season but he’s no longer here ,how long can you keep using the wenger excuse ?
30 odd games played and he still lols like he’s experimenting with squad .thers no excuse for the amount of goals we have been conceding no matter how bad the defenders are ,he played 8 defensive players today and they score in the 1st minute .ofc some fans on here are premature in their views of wanting him gone ..I imagine there are of the younger generation.
But he shouldn’t and cannot be immune to criticism.
Dan, there is an all too obvious reason WHY I AND MANY OTHERS TOO MENTION WENGER. It is because most of the players under contract are his players signed when he was managing. I would have thought that was obvious, even to a blind person. I do NOT and have never disliked Wenger, whom I consider a fine and thoroughly decent human being. As our manager though , I thought him way below what we needed and have thought that for many years prior to him leaving. Unlike you and many others I prefer total accuracy in my use of our fine and rich language.
I disgree with you in saying that there is no excuse for the amount of goals conceded, no matter how bad our defenders are. Their incompetence is PRECISELY the whole reason. Unlike you Dan, I SEE NO PROSPECT OF MAKING WAY BELOW PAR DEFNDERS WHO SIMPLY HAVE NOT THE INATE DEFENDING ABILITY WITHIN THEM , TO BECOME DECENT DEFNDERS. Our first goal yesterday was caused because Iwobi, not a defender, lost possession in a deep position. Iwobi was also partly at fault for their third goal. Along with many others, save the Nigerian contingent, mainly, on here , I have long been posting that Iwobi is simply not good enough. But with Ozil refusing to work as hard as other players and all the injuries, Emery is almost forced to play Iwobi right now and he at least works his socks off. That is if “headless chickens” wear socks! When , eventually ,Emery gets his own CHOICE players throughout the team will I begin to judge him. Only then can such a judgement possibly be a fair one. Reality!
Totally agree TMJW… and City are the champions!! And Emery isn’t a miracle worker!! As Thierry says in the ads… there’s always next week ?
Thank God for YOUR post, almost the only voice of sanity on this thread which states the hopeless situation Emery has had to cope with. A load of awful defenders, almost all inherited from Wenger, the man who had no idea about defenders or defending, of whom many are injured and out long term. I exclude the promising ( but hardly England class!!) Holding. Two talented but lazy creative midfielders in Ozil and Mkhi and starved of real funds by the Scrooge owner. I agree firmly with Souness who said on TV today that Emery is a top manager and we must stick with. him I dislike mob hysteria which is close to what we have throughout this thread.
I agree. We need patience. Wenger was given endless patience, so what’s wrong with a couple of years for Emery? Haha!
Jon Fox, do you ever see anything good in Wenger and Ozil? Or conversely is there anything wrong with some of Emery”s decisions? I sincerely believe that, whether we like it or not, Wenger made Arsenal a worldwide club. Most of us are Arsenal fans because of the Wenger induced Arsenal playing style. Who can forget Arsenal’s brilliant years (1998-2008)? Referring to Wenger all the time will not solve our current problems and neither will bashing Emery. We need to give Emery a chance to put his mark on the team. Emery has a record of success behind him and I don’t believe that he has all of a sudden become a poor coach? How long and how much money has it taken for Klopp to get to where he is now? How about Guardiola? Was he an instant success in his first season at Man City? How long did it take Sir Alex Ferguson to win trophies at Man U? Have we cared to examine the impact of injuries to our players such as Bellerin, Welbeck, Koscielny, Mavropanos, Sokrstis, Monreal, and others who have had short term injuries? We need to be realistic and objective in our assessment of Arsenal’s present situation. I don’t want anyone to misunderstand me for being an apologist for anyone. All I am merely stating are the bare facts which sometimes elude some of us when we are emotionally charged.
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David IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU BUT SOME OF US WERE ARSENAL FANS WHEN WENGER WAS JUST STARTING JUNIOR SCHOOL. We who are not comparative children, know full well that Arsenal was ALREADY a “world wide club” almost twenty years before WeNGER WAS BORN. There , you have learned something that it seems must have escaped you, judging only by your factually mistaken comment. So many of the snowflake generation seem to foolishly suppose that Arsenal began with WENGER. IT DID NOT . BY 110 YEARS . In fact! “Most of us” (your words) are NOT snowflakes too.
I tend to expect us to get rolled by at least 6 or 7 goals by City. That way, i feel better when it’s only 3!! It works, trust me!!
Fact is, our defence is almopst the worst in the EPL. I’t laughable.. And yet, we were also poor going forward today. Looked like we were there for damage limitation!!
We looked like we were “parking the bus” for most of the game and when we got forward we were crossing to the invisible man?
I’m still going to give Emery the rest of this season and hope he brings in some quality in the summer. However, I’m not convinced he knows what he’s doing so far and I doubt (even more than ever) lately that he will be able to turn this shower of $h*t into a top 4 team any time soon!!!
4 shots with 2 on target the whole game!!
Exactly Sue.. we have Auba and Lace up front and yet we may as well have another 2 defenders!
The only players who deserve to play for arsenal going forward are Torreira, Guendouzi, Leno, Auba & Laca. We need to replace the rest of the team.
It’s funny that 4 of those players were bought in the last year with Sven ‘Diamond Eye’ scouting them. Now he has gone, what hope do we have.
We need new quality CB’s as a priority. A quality RB and LB who can attack and defend (now that Bellerin is out). We need new RW & LW and a new CAM.
We need atleast $200m to replace this squad and once again without champions league football it will be hard to attract the best players.
We need to do this before Guendouzi and Torrreia realise we will never win trophies and move on
THought we had a chance till 2nd half, where we were totally blown away by a superior opponent. It doesn’t help that this squad is really just crap at defending. Licthsteiner remains a travesty, Mustafi never seems in the same, Kolasinac needs to defend more, Iwobi giving the ball away first minute. Torreira, Guendouzi, and Leno are really the only players that can hold their heads up. I wish Emery had done 4 at the back, started Mavropanos. I don’t get the point of continuing on with players like Mustafi honestly. And Jenkinson over Lichtsteiner as well. He is willing to drop Ozil, yet plays other deadbeats like those two. Mavro at least has potential, and Jenkinson just cannot be any worse than what we see from Licht. MOTM is Guendouzi for me. Keep going son, you’ve got a bright future.
And Silent Stan must INVEST! I half want him to lose the Super Bowl today just to see him cry, but maybe a win will give us a bigger transfer budget and put him in a good mood….. okay I’m being far too optimistic there.
So that plane has been found….?
Let’s face it guys how many of us expected us to beat Man City with the likes of Lichstener ,Mustafi and Kolasinac in the first eleven.With a back four of Bellerin, Holding, Mav and Monreal we would at least have a chance but injuries have made it impossible for Emery to improve our woeful defensive record.It’s easy to criticise him but he has inherited some real dross which unfortunately will take some time to clean up.Our inability to defend has been highlighted by fans and media pundits for years and until we acquire better quality at the back our team will continue to frustrate us all.
Was never gona get anything there city played in 2nd gear for most of the game our defending continues to be shocking and Suarez is a crap signing which goes to show the state of arsenal football club will never challenge for premier league and doubt if will make champions league again as a club we are totally finished!!
Dan, Denis “Suarez is a crap signing” after how many minutes on the field playing the current EPL champions Manchester City away from home?
By the way Arsenal has Suarez on a loan deal for the rest of the season, with an option to buy. If he doesn’t perform he will be back at Barcelona next season.
Same old same Arsenal.
Wether you support Emery or not it’s was criminal to play Lich and Iwobi together
And then to not change it wow
Leno 8
Lich 2
Mustafi 4
Kos 5
Mon 5
Kola 2
Torreira 6
Gendo 6.5
Iwobi 2
Laca 5.5
Auba 4
Subs all 4
Emery 4 should have noticed the problem and changed it
I’d give Iwobi 2.5…I’m sure he made a tackle. Haha!
I would give him 3. An extra point for managing to get substituted quickly!!
And brought on who?
No reason to act all that emotional and miserable. Things are how they are. In the summer there will be much work to do, and like Wenger always used to say, judge a man by the end of season.
Arsenal right now do have only 4 players who are barely good enough, and not only we need to go get our self a strong first 11 but bench players as well.
Gunner up. Stan Down the toilet.
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People seem to have more to say when we lose. All sorts of logic thrown in to boot, proving everything from here to a fake moon landing. Certain users esp seem to revel in these moments, very strange.
Like Emery said, the difference in the overall quality was very telling. City were well up for it. Some costly errors but city were rampant, pass and move, pass and move, they were like flies swarming all over us. They looked like title challengers and former winners, we did not, because we are not. We would’ve needed city to underestimate us and take the game more lightly, but they were not in that mood.
Did any of you see the players Man City had on their bench?…,,we lost as was expected ……so why is everyone upset……you can’t win with arsenal fans…..
B-o-t and John ?? and it doesn’t help when Aguero channels his father in law Maradona, with a “hand of God” third goal. The refereeing in the EPL isn’t improving.
Still need to concern quality on:
– New center back with quality like Sokratis
– New middle with quality like Nemanja Matic, he will be partner with Torreira
– New winger more, like Denis Suarez.. Suarez looks good can fight with opposite and with good moving around, unfortunately his team mate did not see that good enough to give him good pass..
– Koscielny and Monreal are too old now.. Mustafi is not consistent.. But I hope Mavropanos and Rob Holding can/will improve, also Niles..
– Xhaka and Iwobi are not good enough, and also not consistent.. That’s why for me is to find DM like Matic to combine partner with Torreira.
– Guendouzi is very good talent.. never look tired, and has quite good skill and it can be improved a lot…
– The rest are okay at the moment…
Most our players especially middle to back look cannot get win with opposite like top clubs but they can do that to our attacking mid – forward. How hard and good strategy that Emery has, but it will not be good enough with some poor players..
Hope Arsenal can fix their problem… still hope Arsenal can win the tittle next season..