The players must shoulder their responsibility for the draw with Wolves.
I have seen so many comments, tweets and Youtube videos blaming Unai Emery for the Wolves goal that you could be mistaken for thinking that the players did nothing wrong for the Wolves equaliser.
Let’s look at the facts. Dani Ceballos lost his runner, David Luiz made no attempt to close the ball down, Calum Chambers was the wrong side of the defender, Sokratis got outjumped with ease.
It was a calamitous goal and I cannot see how Emery can be blamed for the player’s incompetence. It is not like this is the first time this has happened.
Of course, it is the manager’s job to motivate the players, to drill them on the tactics and so forth. But what is Emery supposed to do when the players cannot do the most basic of jobs?
Too many excuses
I am not interested in all the excuses that are thrown around. These are professional footballers who are paid an immense amount of money and all we ask in return is that they do their jobs.
Even if they do not understand the manager or are baffled by his tactics and substitutions that is no excuse for not doing your job.
The midfield does not support the defence and if there is ever a defence that needs support it is Arsenal’s. Ceballos was the classic example of that yesterday.
I am not suggesting that Emery does not carry some of the responsibility but the substitution had nothing at all to do with the result. That is down to the players not doing their jobs.
Arsenal was at home, they were not playing Man City and even without Pepe, they should be beating Wolves.
The players, the fans favourites, cannot be given a free pass when the likes of Mustafi and Xhaka are not.
If fans are going to call for Emery to be sacked, fair enough. However, be honest and apportion blame fairly as well.