The pressure on Unai Emery may have lifted a little following the win over Aston Villa but it has not evaporated completely and the next six Premier League will be defining for the Spaniard.
Over the next six weeks, Arsenal will have the following EPL fixtures
30th Sept Manchester United v Arsenal
6th Oct Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth
21st Oct Sheffield United v Arsenal
27th Oct Arsenal v Crystal Palace
2nd Nov Arsenal v Wolves
9th Nov Leicester City v Arsenal
There are some real tests in there for Arsenal, if they play as they did in the second half against Villa then they could easily get between 15 and 18 points, if they play as they did against Watford in the second half then they could get nine or less.
Even the home games against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Wolves are not going to be easy, any of those three could get a result at the Emirates and the away games are going to be difficult no matter who the opponents are.
This is the period that will determine Unai Emery’s future in my opinion, if they are mid-table come the festive period then I can see the club firing him because not making the Champions League for yet another season is inconceivable and they cannot wait until it is too late to make a change.
We all know that there are issues with the team and while the manager persists with the likes of Xhaka and Luiz we remain vulnerable, even with the injured players returning.
He will not change his fixed players, nor will he know for himself what formation to play. He’ll be busy video analysing the opponents instead of focussing on our system. With the way we are playing no team is easy to beat, even at home.
Like many others I’m so close to giving up on our hopes this season too.
Why give up on a season where we have played 7 matches and have won 4 and only lost 1. We have new players who haven’t yet gelled and defenders returning from injuries including Tierney. With the exception of Man City and Liverpool we probably have a Stronger squad then any of our rivals such as Spurs, Chelsea and Man Utd. No need to be so negative as I really can’t see us missing out on a top 4 place and a chance in one of the cups
? I would hate to be a team mate of some of the negative posters on here. They give up after 7 matches in the season, when their team sts fourth!
7 matches? Really??? No wonder you are positive.
7 matches? I thought we played 6 in EPL, so let’s not include other tournaments.
Chelsea have better defenders and midfielders and wingers and the goalkeeper. Only in CF are we better (but not by much if Abraham continues like he began).
And Spurs also have a slightly better squad than us.
Debatable when it comes to United. Starting elevens are of similar quality, but their backups are slightly better.
Also, we had this debate about results last year during the ‘unbeatable run’. In the long run, the shit performances are going to bring a series of shit results. It happens sooner or later ALWAYS.
Unai is a fake, not just a liar. He promised attacking play, but instead we’re only playing to protect ourselves from the opposition’s imagined strengths.
Depends on what your hopes were for this season.If they were that we would challenge for the title then they were unrealistic in the first place.Me am still hopefull that we will finish 3rd behind liverpool and ManCity,and we will win a cup either of FA or Europa (This was my prediction,i still stand by it)
Knight, my hopes was to challenge the Top2, not merely finish in the TOP4.
You must have had a meeting with Josh Kroenke and other big dogs in the hallowed chambers, to talk so authoritatively.
It is just an opinion, but if sarky comments works for you then fine
You know the word “sack” is missing in Arsenal’s dictionary.
No matter what, Emery will run down his contract.
Arsenal are not familiar with looking for a coach.
It is really sad that Emery is not the tactician whith a strong game plan that we all thought will be an upgrade from the previous wenger regime. He is stybjorn as a mule and refuse to censure poorly performed players and these players like Xhaka, Luiz and Sokratis are big liabilities. When will he learn? Look how wxposed we are in all the games so far? We are regressing under Emery! SAD
He does not what he’s doing
No manager is immune from the axe if u aint winning and winning most of the time. Even Guardiol could be axed if MC goes into a poor run. What more Emery.
The days of guys like Wenger or Fergie could choose his departure date are over.Arsenal made the mistake of waiting too long for Wenger to go.
I believe Arsenal are going to join the rest in in hire and fire .Emery better look over his shoulders
Not after just 7 matches.
Wenger was also sacked
@admin Martin
Glad you’re not the one who decides anything at AFC… Get over yourself dude.
????
No one including @admin Martin will decide whether the option for Emery’s contract to be extended into the third year, but Arsenal. The negative posters on here are all “pissing in the wind”.
Emery is a confused coach. We have never been unsure of our team’s ability like we have now. All of the games listed above should be sure bankers for us, but now no knows. Leicester at their peak was a sure home and away win for Arsenal, Crystal Palace, etc were bonuses at Emirates, but under Emery every team comes to the Emirates with confidence.
Emery is not the future, his style and pretentious pragmatism is not Arsenal DNA. If not sacked his contract should not be renewed. After 7 games our midfield play is still undefined. The defense? Top four would be a miracle. To think top4 is not a trophy!! How times have changed after 22yrs of guarantee
There were not 22 years of “guaratee” of top four. Please do the maths again.
Yeah great…it was 21 years, not weeks.
Emery is a confused coach. We have never been as unsure of our team’s ability like we have now. All of the games listed above should be sure bankers for us, but now no one sure. Leicester at their peak was a sure home and away win for Arsenal, Crystal Palace, etc were bonuses at Emirates, but under Emery every team comes to the Emirates with confidence that they could not only pick up points, but to beat us.
Emery is not the future, his style and pretentious pragmatism is not Arsenal DNA. If not sacked his contract should not be renewed. After 7 games our midfield play is still undefined. The defense? Top four would be a mirage if we continues this way. To think top4 is not a trophy!! How times have changed after 22yrs of guaranteed qualification. Any decent enough coach would make top 4 easily with this squad we have. My opinion
One game at a time but I think we’ve got to beat Man Utd. Last few times we’ve played they’ve been on a terrible run and we struggled it’s so frustrating
Last few times we played them we ended their unbeaten run
Emery should field his best 11. He favours some players to the detriment of the team. The best midfield combination should be Ozil, Torrera and Ceballos. Xhaka should not be starting games. We need fast paced technical players in the midfield. So we can impose ourselves. Guendouzi is still raw. He should be a sub. Ozil has to be a regular in the midfield. Emery will not last beyond the summer with the way things are going. The team has to improve.
That midfield is only good on paper not our best
But the current midfield Emery deploys is rubbish. Non existent. No team wins titles with Guendouzi and Xhaka as starters.. Guendouzi is still raw. And Xhaka is not quick enough.This talk of Ozil does not have the work ethic sucks.
what is the problem between unai and ozil? he remain our best creative midfielder and d best link btwn midfield and attack.
Personally i dont see Emery going anywhere even if he was to loose all those games.Circumstances are in his favor.First of all,his players were injured (Tiermy,Holding and Bellerin)-all defenders seeing as defence is his problem,and he is in the rebuilding phase,and theres a lack of better replacements for him in the Managers market,and they will look at whats happening at Chelsea and ManUnited and not want to try out an unproven manager.His job is safe Unai Emery
I don’t think they will sack him anytime soon, but i agree the next bunch of matches are going to be tough and it may have a significant baring on his future if we get into a slump,we are not great now but getting by and in 4th so it could be worse, and I see them sticking with him if that continues,at least until the summer.