There were very few pundits who predicted that Arsenal would bounce back from our 3-1 defeat in Rennes to stop Man United’s unbeaten run, and then claw back a the deficit against Rennes in such emphatic style, but the Gunners did both in style, and Emery was very impressed with the way his players handled the pressure over the two games. He said: “It’s giving us very big confidence on Sunday against Manchester United and the same with this performance and this victory. This comeback was very difficult but I think our reaction was a very good reaction from every player.
“Playing under pressure is good. Growing up under pressure, every player, like a team. And to feel difficult moments to give us our best performances in these moments. For us, today and Sunday, we were playing and being competitive. I think it’s good confidence for us to feel that. After, if I am very demanding of myself, I want to take the best confidence with the ball, with the control with the ball with the possession, because I think against Manchester United and today, we lost a little bit these moments with the ball to give us the confidence with the ball and to control the match with the ball.”
It is good that Emery wants every game to be perfect, but at least the players took the right mentality into both games and had the belief in themselves and their team-mates. Now we just need to see them take that winning mentality into away games and if we can do that we could be in for a great ending to Emery’s first campaign at Arsenal…
Admin
I agree moments with the ball we need more. At 1-0 against united and at 2-0 against renne we could of done with the ball more.
Ozil Auba of a top 3 won’t press like the tactic demands. When they sit off, opponents can get the ball from defence to midfield easier.
They just need to bring in the confidence of like when were 2 up against united into this situation.
But the mentally is good. In them moments our defence has looked settled. Helped my having Kos Monreal Sokratis playing together. Sure we wona see Holding Bellerin Mavo all involved. But the old guide of yesterday years didn’t do such a bad job for us. This is what we need right now in this part of the season.
Just a shame there is a break. But the players deserve a break.
It’s good to see we have wonderful players like torriera who doesn’t naturally always gets into the team. Strong bench, spirited team performances and confidences in the future is currently were arsenal are at.
I’m glad that there’s a break, our squad isn’t as big as some of the other top six sides, also Napoli, like Rennes did, they had Christmas off, whereas we’ve been going at a hectic pace since then, esp in these last two to three weeks. I hear they’re going for some sun in Dubai to recharge batteries, this is really great that they all agree to it, because you’d imagine that they all have destinations where they would prefer to be with family members.
I agree with you about the defenders. I wrote Koscielny off myself and I’m glad to see him proving his doubters wrong. I didn’t even think he’d be capable of playing consecutive games without a set-back, not only did he look capable but he’s been an important player in these latter stages. I think it helps someone like Niles too, to have some older heads around him, but the great thing about it was watching Niles telling them to up concentration and performance levels as he’s banging his hands together. Our defence done well also in this past spell, the whole team, I’m proud of our lads.
Come on City & Barcelona ? jammy Liverpool getting Porto ?
I see Man City had the easiest draw ?
Lucky Liverpool got lucky again this year
?? they sure did!!!
I am not surprised that more often than not pundits get it wrong. To me the reason is simple. They don’t take time to analyse situations. Instead they make some half baked assessments based on previous history, form and rarely do they analyse mitigating factors for some happenings. I was so disappointed that our pundits failed to appreciate the dismissal of Sokratis as the obvious dynamic that swung the game in Rennes favour. Instead they were too eager to prove their mindset that Arsenal is clueless away from home. They forgot that Arsenal held both Spurs and Man U at their home grounds. It is that casual approach to issues which causes them to make half baked predictions. Proper analysis requires you to look at how and why something happened. Instead they rush to history to find a quick answer. However this is very unrealistic because Unai Emery has no history at Arsenal neither do Leno, Sokratis, Torreira, Guendouzi and for that matter even Auba as well as Laca. When you use wrong and shallow assessment you make wrong conclusions.
Spot on David. I really concur with you on this. The pundits again failed to acknowledge that clearly the sending off of Sokratis had a real impact on our performance and the result in the first leg. Truly as you pointed out, pundits/sports analysts jumped onto the “Typical Arsenal with away blunders” wagon and completely ignored that red card. Same can be told of the pundits here in Ghana, some of whom are quick to mock Arsenal when we lose and yet after winning emphatically yesterday, they hardly commended us this morning on the various radio sports shows. How pathetic! No wonder Scholes has resigned, such a loser to be honest and to think that he resigned by sending a text message tells it all!
I know we as Arsenal fans have hoped for long for a very successful team in terms of winning trophies for way too long but I believe things are getting better. Unai may not boast of the best accolades as a manager as compared to others but winning the Europa for 3 consecutive seasons is no mean feat. What he has done for us so far has been very good to be honest.
Only, only if Kroenke and the board will back him with the necessary funds in the summer to add top-notch players to the team…
COYG!
Kofi Ken
Our away games are still atrocious. Its like watching two completely different teams each week.
I hope Emery has learnt not to play 2 DMs ahead of 3 CBs.
3CBs seem to work for Emery while he plays 2 CM who are not DMs, Xhaka is the closest to a DM yet we all know he is just a physical DLP while Ramsey is far from a DM.
I am glad AMN had another good game, I think he is the man we need to look towards as a Ramsey replacement, add some steel into CM while keeping a forward threat.
Arsenal v. Napoli.
Another big game. Let’s do it.
Winner of this tie faces Villarreal/Valencia winner in semis.
Napoli it is then
Napoli were unlucky not to go through Liv’s group, Liv narrowly edging them. PSG could not beat them. I’m still confident though, it’s a good draw for the neutrals. I believe Emery will find us the answers with his tactical know-how when sizing up the opposition. Come on Arsenal, it’d be great if we can reach our targets in only the managers first ever PL semester.
?
Toughest draw…
…for Napoli it is – None of the remaining teams will be confident about playing AFC, particularly as we’re about to hit full throttle.
??Napoli won’t be pleaased and Unai Emery’s attitude will be that Arsenal had to play Napoli sooner or later.
Semi against Villarreal or Valencia!
Says as we’ve been drawn away as have Chelsea, our game will be reversed so we’re at home the first leg COYG
Maybe first leg at home is better this time around seeing how we haven’t done well away from home in first legs. We’ll need a big performance at Emirates and hopefully get a comfortable lead. I think we can do this. Feeling good Sue.
Fingers crossed RSH! I can’t help but think the draw hasn’t been kind to us once again!! All that talk about Atletico last time & we ended up getting them… should have won overall but didn’t… having said that, we do have the master of the EL as our manager… so come on Unai!! Let’s do it ?
It’s definitely a tough draw, but I feel this Arsenal team has more bite about them than last season. The draw is what it is, and if we can pull this one off we have the easier semi-final in theory. Arsenal have been turning up when it matters most lately and let’s hope this trend continues.
Very true RSH ?
Fingers crossed?For what? AFC have been blowing teams away, isn’t it? Scared of Napoli, Villareal/Valentia? I’m not! Expecting a humiliating defeat for Carlo Ancelotti. I consider these as warm up games before the finals at Baku
Well I really hope you’re right….. for once
Napoli won’t be easy. But if we get through this the i guess we can beat Villareal/Valencia and reach the finals for sure.
Ospina won’t play???
Apparently not. That’s a pretty nice advantage.
?
@Sue. I thought so too,but he is on loan from us and can’t play.
That’s not a bad thing then georgie ? tbh I lost track & couldn’t remember if we’d sold him to them!!
Napoli it is gunners
Lol..I’m not really worried we got Napoli, getting Chelsea would’ve disturbed me, not Napoli.. I literally asked for Villarreal only because I wanna here the “ooooooh Cazorla” song, but I also wanted Napoli.
Last night I told a friend Napoli would never be a problem for us
Tough ties suits us, I love them. Man U will be a better witness
Mr Admin, It is just not true, as you claim, that very FEW pundits gave us a chance of overturning last nights deficit. You have a point about not many pundits thinking we would beat United, though! I do find so many of your own chosen headlines to be inaccurate and SOME do not even much agree with the article below them. I am known for being pedantic and I will repeat, once again , the sole reason why this is so. It is because, above all, I value the plain , unambiguous TRUTH and an absence of wishy washy language and inaccurate headlines too. So much of todays newspaper and social media writing is hype, pure and simple. The actual truth is far less important to most of these so called professional journos and also to many fans than in decades long ago and this is a truly regrettable state of affairs. To be clear, I talk not of diverse and various opoinions which all have their place , if honestly thought and meant. But some things are facts , not opinion, and it to these that I refer. I therefore challenge YOU to tell us all who the few pundits were who thought we would not get past Rennes. All the regular ones I saw thought we most probably would ,as indeed we did, thus proving themselves right. So where ARE these very few pundits you bogusly refer too? Do tell, for the sake of truth. That is IF you prize it, as I do. Or else admit that you prefer hype, AS YOUR HEADLINE SHOWS. Come clean Pat!
I will come clean lol. As I said in the line you mentioned I said that few pundits predicted we would do BOTH of those results. Can you please check my grammar?
Sure it was only a question in the headline, it might have sounded very suggestive, but it’s just a question, much like the one you asked Jon, only in less words.
I’m sure there are some people who would say that Arsenal might likely falter under the pressure of making it back into the top tier of European football. Merson is one, he wrote us off v Manu and possibly Rennes. I doubt that he believed Arsenal would make the top four or win the Europa, I can’t quote him on that, but with the mere mention of his name, I am reminded only of doom and gloom.
I can,t stand the guy he has nothing positive to say about arsenal
To successfully compete in europe we have to wipe the opposition out – its that simple and we do have the coach, skills and the momentum now to do precisely that. We have torreira to cancel the opposition’s attack and we have Captn Kos and Sokratis gelling together nicely. We have two fine keepers and a formidable attack. So we have good reason to believe (now) that this campaign will exceed a lot of fans expectations – mine included.
As a reminder-the EL final will be played in Baku,Azerbaidjan.As you know,Armenian citizens are banned for entering Azerbaidjan.We have an Armenian player,and a good one….how about that?Last time we played in Azerbaidjan,Mikhi was not included in the lot,his visa was denied.Scratch your head,folks,we may have a problem on our hands.Where is the politically correctness when we need it?
antonioro, you are correct about the visa situation for Mhikataryan; however let’s worry about getting to the final first. One positive thing is that Arsenal has previously played in Baku and we may have some local fans there.
The point you made about pressure is relevant as we enter into the business end of the season and the victories against Man Utd and Rennes will be a confidence booster for all the players.Although we rode our luck on occasion, the fact that we kept two clean sheets is very significant as we are starting to defend further up the field with the likes of PEA. And Laca getting stuck in .Long may it continue..
Gabriel (remember him) would love to put us out of our misery
Coquelin too
Just like Sanchez’s co last week tried and felt the knock.Trust Emery to deliver silverware this year
That’s funny…I thought we were lectured about not having good CD and DM for years and yet we are now worried that two of them MIGHT just prove that ridiculous statement wrong.
The same goes for Ospina, fans now saying how good it is that we won’t have to face him…
“fans” were blasting these players as dross, weedy and mentally frail, just goes to show that “the pundits” on here also get it wrong doesn’t it admin??
Ken, valid points! ?
Good to see the manager even though happy to point out that we have still to improve in certain areas,can,t wait to see the new players he will buy in the future!he is demanding on his players but himself too.