The time is coming very fast when there will be no more excuses or hiding places for Unai Emery and he will have to stand up and be counted.
Up to now, there was an abundance of excuses that Emery could fall back on, a new league, a new culture, new signings needing time to bed down, long term injuries in crucial positions and so on but we are almost at the stage where none of that can be used any more as a reason for disappointing performances.
We are not quite there yet, but I would suggest that in about four weeks time the manager will have a full squad with a significant number of his own players to choose from, he has already had a full season adapting to English football and he will very shortly have all the tools he needs to secure a top-four finish and a proper go at winning the Europa League.
Emery has been under intense pressure and his supporters could point to the fact that he inherited a poor defence, that the new signings need time, that he has been hampered by injuries and is not being supported by the board, but not any more.
Arsenal is very close to having a strong defensive line-up, a formidable frontline and an emerging midfield of extremely talented youngsters. Pepe and Ceballos are getting more and more game time, Bellerin, Holding and Tierney are back to strengthen the defence, Willock and Guendouzi are the sort of players a midfield can be built around and Saka, Nelson and Martinelli are on the cusp of doing great things.
If Emery persists with the likes of Granit Xhaka and David Luiz that is on him. He now has everything he needs to make Arsenal successful and soon there will no hiding places left for him.
You’ll be quick to blame him when bellerin, holding and Tierney lose their knees again. It’s very well documented that footballers who tear their ACLs aren’t as great players afterwards
If the anterior cruciate ligament tear is so grave and if there are proofs that the ACL-torn footballers’ performances worsen tremendously, why did Arsenal buy Tierney?
Messi has 21 injuries and few surgeries in his career, yet he still can tear La Liga apart. I just hope Holding, Tierney and the other injury-prone Gunners can also be as motivated as Messi
Luckily we have the super fit Aubameyang, Xhaka, Leno, Guendouzi and Mustafi in the first team, that rarely get injured
It is true that Emery will shortly run out of excuses. I am all for blooding youth, but when we are in the muddy trenches, we need men with strong heads and hearts who are oblivious of mended ACL’s, not kids who are blown over by the opposition’s exhaling. I wish the club well!
Soon U.Emery will have no reason not to perform. Arsenal board invested a lot this season on players with the involvement of U.Emery. M still waiting to see how these players would be maximal used by Emery for food result
Tierney didn’t have ACL injury though.
LDDWWW
Once everybody is fit Unai has no excuses for failure again. Still believe we will finish 3rd though
No CL should mean no contract extension for the manager, because we already have a super expensive and highly talented squad
To right, that time has come, that time is on Monday when we play united.
Kt can come in a left back and play 80 mons. Chambers has been brilliant at righr back, so no need to change that.
Holding must play to mop up Luiz mess ups, so there’s are best back line for now. That can only get better when hecktor is truly fit enough, then chamb and holding for me. That should be enough to keep united at bay. Mattio ceb willock tierra, so much in midfield to choose from. Pepe ABBA and for me martinelli up front job done. No excuses really. No way we should be losing this game.
Although I do agree, you’re forgetting one big problem, even with everyonee available. With Laca fit, our best striker, and arguably, the deadliest striker in the league then gets pushed out of position, onto the wings, where he is far less effective.
Personally I’d have Laca drop deep (almost number 10 role) like Bergkamp used to do, leave Auba central and put Martinelli or Saka on the left. Simple solution and would offer us much more balance imo
That’s actually a great shout, especially as Saka is already stepping up and proving himself.
👍 👍
I think he’s been a scared manager since he moved to England.
Most of his decisions pointed towards that fact, his tactics, selections, decisions to play safe and work towards stopping teams even low table teams instead of sticking to our strength. Now add this crap of having the players vote for captain, who does that? What’s the point in making mountain out of a molehill?
Man up Unai!! Pick your captain and Vice Captain let’s move forward!! Might as well ask the whole London fans to vote for captain.
First it’s the whole five captain stuff, (the rest of the EPL clubs must be very poor then), now he still don’t know who to name captain. It seems as though he’s trying to make the guys select by themselves so to avoid the backlash from the fans the moment he announces Xhaka as the captain. He’s aware Arsenal fans don’t even tolerate Xhaka anymore, smart move would be to keep away from selecting Xhaka himself.
Plus if you look at it the other way, would experienced and snr players like Ozil,Luis, Xhaka vote for Holding, Bellerin, Guendouzi as captain?
Why the whole drama?
He should man up and make the decision, ad the captain is his link between him and the players
Why does everything has to be a long process with Emery?
Good observations Eddie.
Yes – this five captains is a nonsense. Just a recipe for confusion.
What you say is true but judgement day is end of season, if he doesn’t make the cut ie. CL, then that’s all she wrote.
I think its rubbish…This is the first time am hearing a coach choosing five captains and the worst part is telling the players to vote by themselves. Xhaka being captain again…thats what i see
Manchester City have done the same thing this season so it’s not the first time.
My captains will be. Lacazette as captain, Aubameyang as vice cause they are obviously our best players.
My next 3 will be, Ozil, Sokratis, Holding.
It is obvious that our best formation when everybody fit will be.
Aubameyang..
Saka, Lacazette, Pepe..
Guendouzi, Torreira..
Tierney, Holding, Chambers, Bellerin..
Leno.
My 2nd team.
Martinelli..
Nelson, Ceballos, E.S-Rowe..
Willock, Xhaka..
Kolasinac, Luiz, Sokratis, A.M-Niles..
Martinez.
Taking time to settle into this league is an art. Pep took just a season (compared to his set standards which he has gone on to achieve). Klopp took a few and got lucky when he could go back to barca and take the 140m + for Coutinho as he had planned out Alision, VVD, Keita and Fabino with the dosh.
Poch hasn’t freshen a squad that was good 2 or 3 seasons ago and its reward a european cup final. Whilst we have great youth coming through, spurs dont have any of note.
Even chelsea and to some degree united have youthful talent coming through. Whilst Ole has many issues to resolve, Lampard seems to be slotting in nicely.
But chelsea I feel can only show enough to get into the top 4. While I feel we could do that and stay fairly close to the top 2. But how soon unai shows that is also dependant on how much the players believe.
By the time Laca is back in the first team fold, our defensive returns should be well accustomed to the first team. We have until then to get it right, all the questions since the end of last season and the frailties which to be fair, was also around before he joined – but have to be resolved if we are to truly compete for the league again.
Whatever our fate, I would say the club is being run by Raul and Co in a way were we have seen a real continuous plan of action.
We lose points because of wrong line up, players totally out of position…
Chambers doing well on RB or LB, better than Niles is common sense as he is an overall defender first, Niles a midfield.
Everyone us back in full training, therefore should play with best possible team. Luiz brings experience and can dictate, pass, shoot, good header on set pieces, defend even if not as fast as he used to be.
Leno
Bellerin – Luiz – Holding – Tierny
Chambers – Willock
Ozil
Nelson Auba Saka
Second half :
Rest Bellerin, move Chambers on RB, Niles comes in next to Willock with Ceballos for Ozil. Martinelli for Nelson, but move in center as Auba on wing.
Changes should made around 60 minutes. If Tierny needs to rest as Bellerin, obviously means Kolas comes on for him. I would keep Ozil then, save last change for Martinelli.
Pepe must be considered as every player; benched as others do better when on, mainly, he does not defend at all while Auba chases ending UP un défense. Ozil used to be that way, being benched forced hip to correct that, he runs back…
Best
Mo
It’s all down to Emery and if he sticks to the game plan that was on full view on Tuesday, he will succeed. If he goes back to his tinkering ways, he needs to be replaced.
He needs to get out of his preconceived notions and playing favourites, but instead do what is good for the club. Sarri bit his ego and left after delivering Europa title, so that’s what Emery can do.
Our boys are talented, so it is upto the badger how to use them effectively and get the best out of them.
If we don’t make Champions League then he must go
But I’ll give him until the end of the season
Im interested how we will perform by starting Bellerin, Holding, Tierney and without Mustafi, Niles, Kolsanic this October and onwards
Also Saka/Martinelli playing matches till Lacazette comes back will be interesting
Emery only has to the end of the season to impress management in order to have his contract extended into the third year, as Arsenal holds the option.
The criteria on which Emery’s performance will be based, is unknown to us. One thing for certain is that Arsenal do not give a “rat’s arse” about the views of posters on justarsenal.