This is no quick fix, Patience is key. by Sean O’Hara
This was always the way we were going to go when replacing Arsenal Wenger after 22 years with Unai Emery, in that we were going to struggle the 1st season under the new era at The Emirates. We have lost our identity so to speak & are trying to find a new one with the new coaches, methods & few players that were brought in.
In saying that we also got rid of quite a few players/backroom staff so all this change was bound to take time & wasn’t going to be a success overnight, especially given the budget that the club has had to work with this summer.
Unai has to work with what he has got at his disposal already at the club plus the newbies in Lichsteiner, Torreira etc… so he has to at least have a season to see what players work for him & which don’t. You never know this could suit someone like Welbeck to finally shine with all the hard work he puts in on the pitch, stranger things have happened. To be fair we have a few players that a team can be built around.
Another couple of transfer windows & we could be ready to at least push the top teams but Emery needs to be given time as do the players adjusting to his tactics, training etc… then we can actually see come next summer where we are and what we need, as this isn’t a quick fix, especially as we won’t throw millions at any player like the big spenders in front of us.
This is off topic but a topic that has been brought up on the site recently;
We have what we have for a squad this season & if we were to find a balance in the team to start the next game I’d actually move Hector Bellerin to RW infront of Lichsteiner to shore up that right side. Bellerin has the speed to get back to help & Lichsteiner has the experience to guide Hector down the right.
With the LW is has to be Auba or Welbz backing up the natural no9 in Lacazette. Welbz has the engine to go up & down that wing to help Monreal in defence & get in behind the opposing defenders, as does Auba but he seems to be off colour at the moment – but Auba would start out wide & Danny would be the 1st attacker off the bench.
Midfield isn’t an easy choice as that’s where we are soft but in defence we are too slow & sloppy.
One of our CBs need to be strong, the other tall & quick to cover our high line so Mustafi partners either Mavraponas or Holding, Sokratis & Mustafi battle for a spot. We have to gamble here as Sokratis/Mustafi can’t play together. Cech has been good so far so he stays put until Leno is ready.
Midfield we have a massive problem but I’d go the 3 of Torreira, Xhaka & Miki. Torreira the obvious CDM partnered with DLP Xhaka for his passing & opening play up. Then Miki ahead of Ozil as he just does more pressing but lacks that little bit of magic that Mesut has to open up defences, the battle would be between these two. Guendouzi will come on late in a game along with Ramsey, again all competition for places no matter who the players are.
Cech
Lichtsteiner
Mustafi
Mavroponas
Monreal
Torreira
Xhaka (Guendouzi sub)
Miki (Ozil Sub)
Bellerin
Lacazette
Auba (Welbz Sub)
Just my opinion would love to know everyone else’s but no gurning about ‘we are doomed’ etc… nothing can be done about it now & our first two games were against the previous 2 winning teams of the league in Chelsea & City. Come next summer we will have another window to add to the team again but we have a platform to at least have a go this season with what he have.
Rome wasn’t built in a day & Arsenal won’t be a quick fix. Just enjoy we got a change & New 100% Yank Owner (JOKE, again nothing we can do but for another Article)
Nice to get the first win no matter how we got it. COYG
Sean
Been said before.
Yes, we have to be patient with Emery, unless he loses three more times in the upcoming seven matches
Against Cardiff, away from home, I’d prefer to see a more cautious approach with 4-3-3, to help Guendouzi and Xhaka controlling the midfield:
……………………….Cech
Lichtsteiner . Mustafi . Sokratis . Monreal
………………………Xhaka
…………Ramsey ………… Guendouzi
Mkhitaryan ……………………..Aubameyang
……………………Lacazette
It can easily be switched to 4-2-3-1, if Cardiff play defensively
So you wouldn’t play Torreira?All these seasons we have been crying out for a CDM and all of a sudden he is not wanted.He made a huge difference when he came on Saturday and it was no coincidence we looked better going forward as well.I get that Emery is introducing him slowly but he was not brought to the Club to sit on the bench.
Ozil in my mind plays every game too
Because Xhaka has to be rewarded for his superb performance at the Emirates
It actually doesn’t matter whether Torreira or Xhaka starts, as long as they can push each other and be replaced when one plays badly. The same should apply to Aubameyang/ Lacazette, Bellerin/ Lichtsteiner, Cech/ Leno, etc
I don’t know whether Ozil has enough energy and willingness to harass Cardiff midfielders as a box-to-box CM or not, but that position suits Ramsey and Guendouzi
But it’s showed over the last two seasons Xhaka is NOT a CDM.I don’t disagree he played well yesterday but please don’t start believing he can suddenly play the role Torreira was bought for
Things will shift later in time but as for now i do too agree that Xhaka needs to start.
…………………Leno…………
Lichtsteiner . Mustafi …Sokratis . Monreal
……..Xhaka…………. Toerriea
………………Guendouz…..
Aubuma…………………………..Miki
…………………Lacazette
This is the line up i want to see, due of me being feed up with Ozil and Ramsey attitudes.
I would never send out an Arsenal team without Mesut Ozil.
Srry Phill. I was also an immense fan but he is Sheisse now.
Torreira must play DM with Xhaka as the long passing midfielder and Lichtsteiner as RB. No place for Ramsey, prefer Guendouzi and either Mhikataryan or Ozil not both. Welbeck due to his pace and willingness to work for the team, may also suit Unai Emery’s tactics playing on the left.
I’m more worried about the long term consequences of Kroenke getting full ownership of Arsenal than this season.
This is a huge setback for us. He will be sole owner for a loooooong time too.
He and his wife own several teams which generally underachieve
I think he is just waiting for a good offer, as what the other football club owners usually do
For example, Man City’s, AC Milan’s and Inter Milan’s ownerships have changed several times in the last fifteen years
He had a good offer from Usminov and turned that down.I can’t see Kronke selling any time soon
Yep, the stingy little demon said it himself he is in it for the LONG HAUL.
That could mean he wants much better offer 😀
Sorry but no, Kronke ain’t selling period. His NBA team sucks but he won’t sell. Rams sucked so he moved them to LA. Don’t be a fool, he will NEVER EVER sell Arsenal, it’s his cash cow.
Best you can hope for is his son Josh actually gives a damn about Arsenal, and chooses it to make his mark as an ower when he takes over from his 71 year old dad Stan.
If you think Stan will ever sell his best piggy bank, then sorry my friend, but you
gotnoidea.
The ones who have to answer for Kronke owning the Club are the Gin drinking old boys school of directors who sold out to him in the first place.Denis Hill-Wood would NEVER have allowed it to happen.If we have the type of season we dread or not I can see the fans rebelling against Kronke and giving him what Wenger got last season.Arsenal Football Club is an Institution and will be around a lot longer than that money grabbing Yank.There is no doubt Wenger took the bullets for Kronke in the past but nobody in the fanbase will blame Emery.
Phil, we will have to sit tight for a while to see how it pans out, but based on US team performances not looking positive. However, Kroenke will realize that the NFL and EPL are totally different competitions and the EPL operates more in a world market than the NFl.
You are right about the previous board/majority shareholders; “a pox on their houses.”
How will it be a huge setback for the us. I’m interested in knowing what your reasons are. And don’t tell me because he hasn’t invested in the team before because we can’t say for sure who was responsible for that as we have 3 separate shareholders. All we heard was speculation.
Mobella I’ll tell you. I’m here in the States and watched this leech for decades suck the money, passion, and competitiveness out of EVERY franchise he owns. Read the history on the Rams for example.
He was only part investor around 1996 and no control in Rams; they won Superbowl in 1998, went back in 2000 or 2001 and lost.
The lady owner died, and read how he back doored his way to becoming majority owner. It was shady deal before club was supposed to be legally offered up for bid to several interested investment groups.
Rams been to playoffs ONCE I think in 16 years since he was owner, and that was last year because they were moving to LA.
Don’t just take my word, research it yourself, and his other teams too. It is BAD BAD BAD he is sole owner.
Rams are worth twice Arsenal according to Forbes magazine (2.5 – 3.5 billion) due to LA move; with a stadium costing over 5 billion. Arsenal valued at 1.8 billion.
In a sense this club is doomed due of us being owned by someone who cant name the starting line up let alone name some of our former club legends. We are now a 6th place club and success to us is now getting into the cl by chance.
We are Englands Dortmund. Large fan base but inferiour when it comea to competing.
Don’t get me wrong when I say this and I’m completely behind giving Emery the time and funds he needs to take us forward but team selections have been questionable in my opinion. I remember hearing from all sorts of outlets how he blew the job interview out the water with his attention to detail and analysis of player by player and how to utilize them to their best. Also it feels like the recruitment team and head coach are not on the same page when it comes to incoming players.
-We needed a LCB especially with Kos out and instead we got another RCB to add to the 2 we already had with 1 eventually being loaned out.
-We got a seasoned multiple league winning RB on a free. Benched!
-We bought a GK that can start the play from the back. Benched!
-We bought a DM we’ve been missing for years. Benched!
-We needed at least 1 winger got none and are now playing all our #10’s at the same time. Unbalanced!
If players from the French National Team can already start for their respective clubs why can’t our new signings start instead of coming on as subs when we’re chasing games. Like I said earlier this isn’t a complain even though it sounds like it but we really need to start with our strongest team while putting them in their best positions if possible. We were lucky against West Ham with the chances they had
Ganjaman, I share your same concerns re team selections thus far.
Me thinks we have been fooled big time. I thought AW was stingy. I expected us to spend the money once he shuts that door on his way out but no, we have to spend approximately 50 million. Why? Are we really going to muscle into top 4 spending that amount. If Usmanov buys into Everton i doubt it. He seemed ready to spend the money.
And, what is Xhaka still doing starting games, He should be playing in Spain where the game is slow and players allow you to play. Even AW was beginning to see the mistake that was made buying him. All that he has is a good pass and nothing.