It’s not often that I welcome the tedium of an International break, but I’m quite pleased about this one as it allows many in our squad to catch their breath after what’s been a hectic period. It also allows us to reflect and look back on the first eighteen matches of the Emery era and discuss the pros and cons along with who has benefitted from the changing methods introduced by our new man in charge.
When we return to domestic action Arsenal will face a strength sapping run of league and cup matches up to the New Year’s Day home fixture with Fulham. It’ll be a new experience for Unai Emery, most of his staff and the five players we signed last summer.
For Leno, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Guendouzi and Torrieira it’ll be the first time they’ve played an English festive programme, I hope they come through the mincer in one piece.
From November 25th when Arsenal visit Bournemouth until January 1st and the visit of Claudio Ranieris Fulham, we face twelve games in thirty eight days which averages out around one every three days within in five week period, a war of football attrition.
Among those twelve fixtures are two North London derbies, a visit to Old Trafford, a visit to Anfield and a nightmare trip to the Ukraine.
The Ukraine trip, notwithstanding the long flight then has a three hour coach journey to the venue. Not a trip for Mesut I suspect.
Emery will need to use his whole squad with intelligence, carefully rotating match by match, maybe starting Lacazette for a game then Aubameyang the next, leaving the other on the bench as we don’t have the Welbeck option anymore. Rotating our full backs as often as possible in that key position within our team/system, using players off of the bench even more than he has so far.
We’re going to need them all at some time in certain games, Elneny, Koscielny, Maitland Niles, Mavropanos, Nketiah and even Jenkinson (already pencilled in for Ukraine).
So far Emery has had an impressive start to his new job, with what is basically someone else’s squad of players. The stats are encouraging:
P18 W12 D4 L2 F39 A19.
An unbeaten run of 16 games.
5th place in the Premier League.
Quarter Final of League Cup.
Knockout Stage of UEFA Cup.
And we’re still in the FA Cup too. Lol
Despite the negativity in some quarters, for me this has been like a breath of fresh air. The defensive tenacity, a midfield with responsibility, substitutions made with imagination, a team that is no longer viewed as a soft touch by opponents.
It’s still early days and there’s a lot more to do, but I’m patient and content because I can see the progress.
What about you?
By AllezKev.
It’s only a dreamer that would expect us to challenge for the title this season, all we need is a patient rebuild of the team. I totally agree with your assessment. We need 2 more transfer windows to get a title wining team.
Good morning Kev. In answer to your headline question…a resounding YES!!
Morning Kev, all.
I liked the post, just as I like the way we’re improving under Emery. I thought the biggest challenge he faced was getting the players self belief back and I think he’s done that in bundles. Yes, a way to go but we’re definitely a very different team to this time last season. Despite the majority of the players being the same.
Welcome Daniel. I couldn’t agree more. I think the sensible fans would have written this season off so being fifth is a pleasant surprise.
A miserable morning here, cold, misty rain. That’s put the kibosh on our Friday walk, the only bright spot Root a century not out and then he’s out LBW for 124.
Ah well the first meaningless England international is over and, hopefully, we’ve seen the last of Rooney. At least the money making scam worked to a degree, the attendance was in excess of 68,000. What will the next wheeze be Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst on the bench in our next “friendly”?
I still don’t get the Rooney thing Cicero, it’s ridiculous imo…
Hi Kev
I agree that there is definite improvement and cause for optimism. We are developing strength in depth and are playing like a proper squad – with Arsene it was more like a first team and reserves.
Hopefully by the time we play Fulham Raniere’s honeymoon period will be over, I think they have a good team and he will get some good results to start with.
As for Rooney, people will rate him as one of the England greats, forgetting how badly he let us down in World Cup and Euro finals.
Brian
Good point re us being a squad, often the academy players train with the first team players which can only be a positive thing.
Morning Rico and all. I think the awful predictability of the last years under Wenger has gone. But I also believe that Unai needs to keep flexibility at the core of his game-plan, regardless of whom it upsets.
Hi Adam, I don’t think Emery will care who he upsets..
I agree Rico.
Improving I’M not sure , but the intensity is back and so is the interest of the fans . So that’s a good thing.
We still seem to be playing to a smilar system though which needs adaption but we must remember it’s early days yet. Give him time , what was Arsene’s stock phrase ? Judge me in May.
May 2020 Potter.
That’s what I am doing Rico.
Me too Potter.
Bringing ringing back the intensity and engaging the fan’s interest must indicate some level of improvement Potter.
We are playing a similar system to that of the closing stages of the Wenger era, but with added enthusiasm and a far greater sense of purpose as well as more discipline.
There is no doubt in my mind that the introduction of Leno is an improvement over Cech, The improvement in Holding’s defending is obvious, and Sokratis has brought a robustness previously lacking when Mustafi was partnered with Koscielny.
Who can doubt that the midfield has been improved with the introduction of Torreria and Guendouzi which seems to have inspired Xhaka to turn in the kind of performances so that he did not show under Wenger.
The one area that is not improving is the forwards. Aubameyang and Mhiktaryan have been disappointing this season and Ozil almost more invisible than before. Iwobi has been better but not significantly so and Lacazette would benefit from the better service that Ozil should be providing.
All in all I think we have made important strides forward, a few tweaks here and there plus a quality winger in January and we could be well set for a top four finish and, hopefully, progress in the Europa League.
Afternoon Gooners.
Afternoon Rico, nice edit. 🙂
Three windows for me Daniel, by the end of next season we’ll see for sure if Emery has been a success or not, it’ll take that long for Unai to move on a few more of Wengers players and bring in his own picks.
Thanks Cicero, I guess it’s a matter of what our expectations were in August and what they are now. I thought in the summer that we’d finish 5th and so far that’s where we are.
If we finish the season in 5th and fail to win the Europa League I suspect that all the ‘be careful what you wish for’ merchants will be out in force. But it won’t bother me because I support the club not the individual…
Potter, more intensity is an improvement isn’t it?
The fact that we don’t just ‘play our game’ regardless of the opposition by adapt and pick teams accordingly, isn’t that an improvement?
The fact that Emery makes substitutions at half time or whenever and doesn’t just stick rigidly to making subs at the same time in a game regardless, isn’t that progress?
That players get into the team on merit and not reputation, is that not an improvement?
I wasn’t really sure at first Brian, but I’ve come around to the policy’s of treating every game with respect and not playing the Stiffs in the League Cup for example, it’s keeps the standards and intensity high, although I do worry about our players hitting a wall later in the season.
But yeah, like you I’m optimistic, in fact I’ve really been enjoying this season, warts and all.
Afternoon Kev, thanks for the post. A goodie imo.
If we win nothing this season, would anyone really be surprised? I wouldn’t.
Aubameyang is our top scorer I think Cicero. It’s Ozil and Mikki who I’ve found disappointing. I know I’ve said this before but I wouldn’t miss either if they left.
The consistently slow start to games, more and more, looks like a legitimate tactic to me. Encourage the opposition to burn energy early in the game and then blitz them in the fourth quarter as they tire. Guendouzi looks to be central to this tactic, his energy gives a lift to the tiring legs of our players and must dismay the weary opposition.
It’s the chances created against us during our slow starts which concern me. I’m not sure I like it if it is deliberate and much prefer how we approached Liverpool.
Horses for courses Rico?
Perhaps Cicero but at home we should be coming out the blocks fast against the lower teams surely.
I’m not moaning by the way, just saying.. lol
New post up.