Would you rather see Arsenal win ugly than lose an entertaining game?

A win is a win and that is the end of that debate. There were many talking points in the Watford v Arsenal game and no doubt we will discuss them, but for now, I simply do not care what transpired in the game, a win is a win and that is all that matters.

We won away, we are in the fourth position, some of our players were rested and others certainly did not run themselves into the ground and that sets us up nicely for Thursday’s game in Italy.

Of course, we were playing against ten men and no one can say that was a vintage performance and if we repeat that performance against Napoli we could well be in trouble but you know what, winning becomes a habit and when a streak is broken it is broken and that is what we achieved tonight.

We made no less than six changes, we were playing a team full of confidence on their ground and we still won, we have Champions League qualification back in our own hands and by any definition, that is a job well done.

There is a time for negativity and there is a time for positivity and tonight, is a time for positivity and I will sleep well knowing that we are doing just fine in two competitions.

It might not have been pretty, but who cares?

Martin

23 Comments

  1. So many players not in-form is more worrying of all, Auba, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi…! Especially Auba, he has been criminally wasteful, and basically in-effective without Laca up front with him!

    The only highlight were the woodwork and the Ref!

  2. We started with a 4-2-3-1 formation Ramsey playing as 10
    Half time the manager took out Toreirra and put ozil in playing as 10 and Ramsey beside Xhaka we started creating chance but couldn’t put them away but we were in control
    Then 10 minutes later the manager took out Mavropanos, put in gwendouzi and switched the formation to 3-4-2-1 the players now look more confused. Emery saw that this too wasn’t working and went for the final role of the dice, Niles in for Ramsey and the formation now switched to a 4-4-2 with ozil playing alongside Aubameyang.
    Does Unai Emery really have a game plan Aubameyang match interview says it all

  3. Some of us fans pointing fingers on the coach’s decision shows we don’t even know where our problems lies for example regarding watford game, they have deulafeu n we’ve iwobi, they’ve doucuore n we’ve xhaka, that tells you that we are at the same level with watford when comes to players personality.. We have forgoten that you cann’t teach old dog new trick, if we really serous we need to face the truth that 2/3 of our first 11 are not arsenal first 11 material,arsenal needs (atleast) 6 new quality players includes complete flank package (2,3,7 & 11) otherwise will keep wasting time season in season out, besides leno,laca and/or auba i won’t mind whatever player to be sold, ozil,mikhi,iwobi,elneny,jenko,mustafi and chembers will be lacky of football and/or club discipline to let them wear arsenal jeazy next season at whatever cost,no buyer terminate their contract, better to gamble on young lads instead,i am dreaming of ua signing joao filix to replace mikhi n ozil, that guy is absolute definition of world class player

  4. Yernited? 2 goals that should have been disallowed and a good goal not given for West ham? Arsenal get more ‘stick’

    1. Exactly right, billy. I wonder if Manchester United and Chelsea fans are criticizing their managers and denigrating their team after their very lucky wins, gifted by poor officiating? Will Spurs fans admit they are in front of Arsenal due to an offside goal allowed at Wembley?
      It is time for everyone to get behind the coach and team to the end of the season; every point no matter how ugly is precious.

  5. I wanna see entertaining games but I will take the three points

    Torreira has to play in Naples. His interceptions and steals are crucial

  6. Managers 1st season you lot.
    He’s doing better than most 1st season managers especially as he’s having to watch the pennies.Wait and see before heavy criticism.

  7. That certainly is the million dollar question!!
    That was tough to watch last night, in fact I had to look away at times (& no not just because of the kit or Deeney taking his top off!)
    Yes they won… at the end of the day that’s all that matters, but boy I’d like to see them play better than that.. after the goal & red card, I didn’t enjoy that game one bit!

    1. Sue you and I alike, and it is simply because you always say the truth. The game was horrible to watch, my mind was practically collapsing inside of the way we held the for so long but did practically nothing with it. Sue if am going to be honest with you, we are not going to win premier league with Emery, we might we Europa, but we are not doing well. Imagine if the other teams in the top 4 race with us have better seasons?, it was a pathetic performance, and with ten men!!! I have never been this sad with a win before. Watford played like they were 11, they have vision, defended well against 11 men, moved forward and created massive problems for us.

      1. I know when a team goes down to 10, they have to work harder & nearly always play better… but come on…I hate to admit this, but they should feel really hard done by… they could have snatched a draw… I’m obviously glad they didn’t.. but jeez we sure did make it hard for ourselves Pat!
        I cannot stomach another performance like that on Thursday.. that kit makes me feel uneasy, knowing we’re playing away also contributes! If this isn’t a wake up call to them, then I don’t know what is!! You’re right about Mkhi – what is wrong with him?? Don’t want to see him on Thursday.. I’m glad Sokratis is back for Thursday.. him & Kos should hopefully steady things… onwards & upwards hey Pat?! ??

        1. Sue and Pat, I’m sure Unai Emery doesn’t coach Mhikataryan and Aubameyang to miss clear cut chances. Arsenal is creating enough chances to win 2 games every match, but are wasteful in front of goal. I hope the chances missed at the Emirates against Napoli don’t come back to bite Arsenal.

      2. To be pair Pat, i don’t see us winning the premier league under this owner because of his self-sustaining business model. If we are honest, most of our players are inconsistent while the rest aren’t good enough so we need a major squad overhaul which won’t happen. When a player like nicholas pepe who has had only one top season is going for 60m upwards, what chance do we have? We will have to take more risks in buying untested players because of our budget and i would instead prefer we give our youngsters a chance. So Emery wouldn’t be the real issue because i can’t see Klopp or Guardiola winning the league with our group of players either. Our squad is so imbalanced that we have no wingers and i have never seen Klopp or Guardiola play without them, so i think emery is doing his best with what he’s got even though i agree he isn’t perfect.

      3. Never say never Pat, if we match our away performance with our home form it would give us 26 points extra that would put us 7pts ahead. I have never seen such a difference in home and away form from arsenal before, if we can sort that out next season we should be challenging

  8. Somewhat unrealistic question. Both. There are times when, playing 3 games a week, and many major games, the team are too spent and physical realities dictate how the team plays. It’s not always a simple choice whether they play well or excitingly. With rotation, a couple of crap players, like Mustafi and Mkhitaryan, and a couple out of form players, the team ‘cannot’ play exciting. In that situation I would rather win ugly. With our best team, rested and fit, I would rather play teams off the park. With our present rotated team it’s not possible to always win excitingly and who the **** would like to lose excitingly. Ridiculous. we are in reality, and are playing to get back into tier one. In times of change be thankful Unai Emery is giving us a chance to be where we rightfully belong. The good times will come.

    1. I can’t understand how you lot keep repeating that Mustafi is crap, when he has been very good for us in the last matches…He was our best defender at Everon and he is doing a solid job clearing out the danger. We still need an upgrade though, cause Mavropanos isn’t at this level yet. He may need to go out on loan.. What about giving Chambers another chance?

      1. What planet are you on for goodness sake! Mustafi is the worst Arsenal CB since Gus Caesar way back long ago!

  9. Frankly this article and its “we won, so who cares how” theme is laughably naive. If you don’t care HOW, Martin the author, than you are just not living in the real football present and are in a fantasy world of your own make believe. As a REALIST, first, last and always, I say you are the worst sort of “everything will be alright on the night” sort of fool yourself type fan. IF, as seems likely, we again stink the place out in our last three Prem away games we will surely never get this sort of fortune again and can expect at best two losses and perhaps a draw at Burnley. This will not be enough to make top four. So, UNLIKE YOU, MARTIN, I have enough sense to see that unless this away timidness and laziness – yes, laziness, let it be admitted – ceases right now, we are in for a huge disappointment. REALISM never fantasy. I leave fantasy hopes and self delusion to younger, more naive fans, like Martin!

    1. Well said. Winning and ugly, are two different things. Of course, we love winning the three points, but the ’ugly‘ part is worrying! because that can come back again and again. Emery must address quickly this ‘ugly’ thing, because if we keep playing the three remaining away games ugly, with the same confusion and out-of-form players, we won’t be as lucky as last night, and there won’t be any more winning in, at least, the away games. And we can kiss Champion League goodbye again for one more season!

      1. How reassuring it is to see a fellow realist on here. Sometimes I THINK WE REALISTS ARE BECOMING AN ENDANGERED SPECIES!

  10. What do we fans want? I believe it is to win games after playing well. However if we can’t do both we would rather win anyhow. The end which is winning justifies the means. The way some people on this site are mourning you would think we lost the game by more than 3 goals! We all love to enjoy a game but if that is not possible at least we should not lose. I recall several times when we call for winning ugly. Now that it has happened we are complaining. What do we actually want then? Are we a confused lot who don’t know what they want? I will accept a win anytime no matter how it is achieved. We have also to appreciate the fact that our players have a very tight fixture and sometimes get fatigue. Is that too hard for some people to understand?

    1. DAVID, you are letting natural bias overtake your better judgement about our away perfs. It cannot rationally be denied, surely, by anyone who is NOT letting bias rule their head, that we hugely rode our luck last night and it would be daft to assume that will continue at our last three away PREM GAMES. IT WILL NOT. And of course, we will ALL accept any win however it come, whether we are realists or fantasists. The crucial difference is that realists accept that last nights luck will not continue. I know you are far brighter than your above post seems to indicate. Quality lasts ; luck does not!

  11. I wouldn’t want us to play that way every week, but an ugly win every now and again are what defines great teams. Do you think the Invincibles were amazing every week. No, they weren’t. The noise just gets amplified when it’s Arsenal 1) because it’s so out of character for us to play badly and win and 2) no one gave us a chance of finishing top 4 in the first place so if we are going to get there, we really have to earn it!

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