Arsenal could not have had a harder start to the Unai Emery era, but both players and fans saw a much improved attitude and tactical awareness although they still have a lot to learn before they are playing pure Emeryball football.
But both games ultimately ended in defeat and we are sitting with zero points after our two games, but the players are again pointing out that we all need to focus on the positives despite the lack of points. It was Petr Cech’s turn after the Chelsea game. He told Arsenal.com: “Well, it was a great game for the fans and everybody watching because, there were so many chances. We went 2-0 down pretty quickly and had chances that we didn’t score in the first-half, but we came back and then we should have been up at half-time because we had another two really good chances to go ahead. But unfortunately we didn’t score the goals to go ahead and in the second half it continued in a similar fashion. But they put us under a little bit more pressure. Before the third goal I thought that we coped with it very well and I was positive that we were going to get something out of the game – at least a point.”
“After the second goal we started playing really well. We came back with a big personality and we showed the maturity to deal with the situation. We got back and created chances, we scored goals and I thought that we were in a good place. At half-time we could have been 3-2 up, but maybe this is one of those moments where the game could have been different in the second half. We come away with no points, but we have a lot of positives and a lot of things we need to improve on.”
Cech went on to summarise: “It’s not been easy, but sometimes that’s the way it is and you learn the hard way. We improved again from the last game, so having seen the work that we put in everyday and the way that the team response to things we do, I’m pretty positive we are on the right way to improve.”
Positives are great, but after our two games against top class rivals, we now need to turn those positives into points. Our next three games are against West Ham, Cardiff and Newcastle, all of which are also currently winless, and now we need to prove that we are back in business by getting nine points on the board. We play the Hammers at home and nothing less than three points is acceptable, but the following two are away from gome where we lacked confidence completely last season. This is where we will really see if we can turn the positives into points. A defeat in any of those games will be a massive blow to the fans and players alike.
So let’s all be positive, but make no mistake, the pressure is now on…..
Admin
We need 3 points from West Ham
I agree admin.
they keep talking about positives and we are already 6 points behind spurs.
time to win games.
Everyone knew our season
starts against West Ham.
This is a huge step down
in class so Arsenal should dominate.
The defence will suddenly become impregnable the midfield
will cut merry capers while the offence will score at will.
Ramsey will be man of the match. Auba will score 5
heck even Welbeck will score. 9-2 Arsenal.
Unai- Merry Xmas will come early as Arsenal will sweep to the EPL title again.
And the fans lived happily ever after.
Waiting for an easy win against Westham…And then Boom!!! Xhaka, Ramsey and Ozil in midfield bossed by Jack Wilshere single handedly…Point is, let’s not underrate Westham..Perez and Jack will be aiming to prove a point
Lucas hasn’t even been in the starting XI , maybe he’ll play against Arsenal though
Its good to take it on the chin at times. So far we have similar problems as the old regime:
– We only play for one half (second half against City / first half against Chelsea.
– Leaky defence – 5 goals in two games is simply poor.
– Being loyal to players like Xhaka will keep costing us results (what to managers see in him that we miss out? I don’t get it really. Even Elneny or even better play Lucas).
– Decision making by our players is still poor. No sense of danger when playing near our goal and no sense of anticipation in the final third (its all jokes during training so it seems).
Unai has a lot of work to do, starting the game with the correct players, in the correct spots, & selecting players based suited for his approach will be a good start.
Football world keep saying we will have to go through a decline after Arsene as Man U have but like our former manager I keep being stubborn & I keep believing he will do better. Next game will be like a final, two games played with 0 points & a bunch of excuses.
I Will be p***** off if Bellerin starts again. If Lichtsteiner is fit then start him.
Also Xhaka and Ozil continue to disappoint me. Maybe they will do better against West Ham. I wish Ozil could replicate 2015-2016 with 19 pl assists
We are not badly off.Remember Man united lost to Brighton unlike Arsenal loosing to the last two Epl champions ?.Our season has just begun with West ham
?
Don’t under estimate WHU. Theey wont roll over and believe me they will
go all out to win.
As for Arsenal the defence must improve.Pedo and co were given too much
time and space to plunder the goals.
Until the defence improves and the big name stars start performing
the board will hold Emery accountable.
They’ve lost both of their games too…. it’ll be an interesting game for sure! COYG
Also Pelligrini is no mug.
Westham might be the dark horse, Arsenal are in the religation zone too, but its the early stages of the EPL which will surely give the hammers courage to attack..
the Emirates is Our fortress the positves are
1. win
2. clean sheet.
nothing more nothing less.
What ever the plan Xhaka and Belerin must be benched
Although I want ozil and Czech benched I will be happy with the first two
That will improve us massively
Leno
Lich sok Mustafi Monreal
Gen Torriera
Iwobi
Nelson/welb lacca Auba
Would be my choice
The two CB and wide right need replacement ASAP
You would start Nelson or Welbeck over Mhiki?? I think you need to have a lie down
I will be so gutted if we don’t beat the hammers! I know it’s only the 3rd game in, but Admin you’re right, the pressure is really on….. come on Arsenal give me something to smile about! Please!!!!!
Pointless.so far iv seen nothing diff..we dont dominate,we dont win..its better when we dominated and lost .lol
You expected us to dominate those games, why?
Complacency against a team like West Ham would be foolish. Remember they’ve got their backs to the wall also. Suppose this is what some call a six pointer.
Graham, youre not wrong.
We need to start winning then not lose before we see city and pool dropping points, if we drop points again before those two I’d be pissed. Need to grind them out at times, that’s the one big trait we’ve been lacking. Once you get a knack for that then you’ll notice improvements. We know we can hammer teams at times and we’ll do it soon enough, but grinding out results will be what makes the ground up if we’re gonna do it this season.
I’m just amazed that some cannot see the improvement in the team already from last season.I accept that we have lost both games and conceded all too easily but it’s not as though this is something that has only just started.Against Citeh we were very sloppy at times at the back (Cech playing like Bambi on ice didn’t help) but we competed against them which is something that just did not happen last season.Against the Chavs we gifted them two goals but showed character to get back into the game.It was Hazard coming on before they really threatened us after that.If we had held them to 2-2 the comments would be completely different.We had chances to put the game out of their reach in the first half and there have not been too many occasions we have done that at Stamford Bridge over the last decade I can tell you.Two tough games and no points.It all starts from now.With the mindset right and the players believing in themselves we will be far too strong for West Ham.
Phil, the improvement has to keep going and there is no cause for complacency when the Arsenal is sitting 0 from 2.
I see everyone is calling for Leno to start, who says his. Better goal keeper then. Cech??? Have we seen him play in the EPL no!! So be careful what your wish for, how much saves did Cech make against City? How much great saves did he make against Chelsea. It could have been embarrassing, both those games! Doubt Leno would have made all those saves!! Leno might be better then Cech with ball to feet, but goal keepers are there to keep the ball out of the net. If it wasn’t for Cech city could have scored 5 and against Chelsea it could have been 7. But we try again
A few have already mentioned it but here goes ..I want to see Bellerin dropped. Lichsteiner reminds me of Dixon, not totally alike but the positioning is top notch. Dixon was the best right back I’ve seen on these shores, Lichsteiner looks to be cut from the same cloth from what little we’ve seen so far. Our fullbacks ruin us at times, playing players onside like that match v Atletico by our supposed best of the best Monreal. We need to shop for some new ones soon but I was hoping to see more of Kolasinac just to get a full picture. The counter attack kills us at times with the way our fullbacks read things. Sagna was the last good one, one is good with speed right now but hasn’t got much else. Another is good with stamina and being scrappy but he hasn’t got much else. They don’t read the game properly like a defence who’ve played together this long should, six’s and sevens which allot of it I put squarely on our fullbacks.
Go ask Alice, If the appalling non defender Bellerin is again preferred over Lichtsteiner and woeful Xhaka over Torreira, I will think Emery is WENGER IN DISGUISE. Neither must happen. NEITHER SHOULD EVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN EXCEPT IN DIRE EMERGENCY WITH INJURIES. Both are disasters and could not defend Fort Knox from a frail, arthritic moth. Joke so called “defenders.”
I was absolutely gobsmacked that Lichtsteiner didn’t start against Chelsea
Sue, you, jon and me makes three!
It is a slow process painstakingly SLOW, but match i have seen improvements.
The PROs
– We scored 2 goals improvement over the last match
– The left-side of our field was more secure (Monreal/Iwobi)
– Starting from the back showed improvement
– Cech footwork was good
– Emery’s system was evident
The CONs
– The defensive line was poor, the main issue is our defenders (CBs) too slow and played to high with quick attackers against
– Our rightside was weak, the Mik/Bellerin in the defensive third was just not happening and the same side of the field was responsible for 2 goals
– Midfielders do not understand their job, jorginho was free as a bird to pass.
– Our fitness level is still not at the right level, we were very tired in the last 20 minutes, so the hard work must continue.
We are still work in progress, just hope the progress comes earlier than we expect.