Morning all.
Another day, another away match but perhaps it won’t be another defeat. Unlikely I know as Leicester are a team in fine form. Brendan Rogers has stormed into the club and turned their fortunes around in pretty quick time. Their big money earning departure in the summer looks like being a smart move. Smart financial business that’s for sure and it’s not like they seem to be missing him either.
If you could pluck one player from the Leicester squad to play for Arsenal, who would it be?
Not one player stands out on their squad list as I was reading through it yet together under Rogers, they are everything I and probably you all wish Arsenal could be. Organised, disciplined, entertaining and structured both in defence and attack. Whether it’ll last is anyone’s guess but right now, they look good. Just think what Brendan Rogers could do with a squad like ours.
Just a few months ago, Leicester City thumped us 3-0 at the King Power Stadium. Despite losing the midfield battle, surprise surprise, we managed not to concede for an hour. After AMN received a second yellow card just after half an hour of the game had been played, it was always going to be a difficult game. Maddison and Teilemans combined for their opener before late on, Vardy added two more to rub salt into the wound. Leicester are better now though than they were that day.
Unai Emery takes charge of his fiftieth League match today having won just twenty five of his previous forty nine. Twelve defeats and twelve draws make up the numbers. Not disastrous figures by any means although we’re six points worse off than we were this time last season but as usual, statistics don’t tell the whole story. One point is all we’ve managed to win from our last three fixtures, two of which have been at The Emirates, both from a winning position. 2-0 up against Palace, 1-0 up against Wolves but then a second half horror show in both cost us dearly. Not that the first half in either match was much better.
Mind you, the same could be said for every match this season because we’ve been pretty awful for a while now and Unai Emery’s persistence with messing around with players positions isn’t helping our cause. At least he can’t play both Ozil and Ceballos today because the latter is ruled out through injury. Xhaka isn’t in the mood to play so has asked to be left out of the team according to Unai Emery.
As a coach I have a responsibility for the team. We need a player like Granit Xhaka. But also, I don’t know if he’s going to play again. I don’t know if he is available in his mind to continue helping us and continuing defending the Arsenal shirt.
“Then, if I decide he is in the group with us, if he is ready and 100% in his mind with the decision to help us and to play with his quality helping us. We need that quality and that player.”We’re now a little weaker without him in that position because we have one less player.”
Unai Emery clearly rates the Swiss midfielder but I really can’t understand why. He’s slow, can’t read a game to compensate for his lack of pace and when he messes up, he does so in a big way. Yet every now and again I wonder if I’m being harsh. Is he as bad as I/we think or is he just another player struggling to play his best under a coach who seems to have no idea about defending? After all, he’s just one cog in a really awful defensive wheel.
Bless him though eh. Being booed isn’t nice but compare what happened to him with what Ozil and Kolasinac endured and he looks a bit of a wimp really. By the way, the judge dished out a whopping ten year jail sentence yesterday to one of the offenders involved their incident. Good.
I had to think long and hard before coming up with an away game in which we played well. Against one on the better teams in the league I’m still thinking but Fulham was was probably our last most polished performance in the league. Certainly under Unai Emery – actually, it’s probably the only one under the Spaniard. Mind you, we’ve only won eight times on the road since he arrived.
So what will Unai Emery do today I wonder? Pack the midfield in order to stop the supply to Vardy, play three at the back in attempt to nullify their threat from the fullbacks, a good old fashioned 4-4-2 with Lacazette and Aubameyang up top with Pepe and Martinelli on the wings or Leno in goal nine in defence with Aubameyang or Pepe up front. Lol
Or perhaps he’ll have heard what Martin Keown said and just go all out attack?
Enjoy the game guys……..
first?
I will watch the game on tv set today.
Best wishes for Arsenal !
Morning Rico and all.
I remember a time when I used to really look forward to Arsenal games.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11857129/unai-emery-exclusive-interview-arsenal-boss-defiant-on-vision-despite-mounting-pressure
Quite how he sets up for this is a mystery to all of us . With their midfield likely to overrun ours and their speed out wide with Vardy in the middle we have to ask whether we have the players to combat them.
Certainly you would think that today is not a day for faint hearts but I would play Ozil behind Auba , Lacazette and Pepe and be tempted to bring Chambers next to Torriera or even push Luiz forward to cut out the long lofted balls to Vardy . Whilst Torriera can look after Maddison . Wehave to take the game to them otherwise we will get taken apart and it could get very embarrasing.
Thanks Rico.
I used to always look forward to a match day. I always thought we would have a chance no matter who the opposition were.
And even if we were open at the back, we made loads of chances up front.
Today I’m dreading to be honest. I’d like to pretend I don’t care, but it will ruin my day if we get thumped.
Leicester , just look like a good team, nobody standout, just a well organised outfit. Nothing fancy just good football.
Arsenal look like a bunch of strangers and we need 1 person to do something special to score, rather than the team working together.
Still I suppose it could be Emery’s last day if we do get thumped!
Morning Adam and all.
Ditto, but not any more, certainly not in a way I used too.
Ozil might have a great game if he plays because he kind of has a point to prove. To Emery especially and if he makes the most of being back in the team, he could end up making Emery look a bit silly. Same with Torreira really although messing about with him has been a ridiculous decision imo.
Mike, I’m not at all confident ahead of tonight either.
Chris Kavanagh refs us for the first time this season with Daniel Cook and Sian Massey-Ellis. Jonathan Moss is the fourth official.
I bet Riley is the VAR, or rather one of his muppets.
Morning all.
This is a game between a good team and a few outstanding individuals. Them and us, respectively.
The outcome is not quite ‘stitched on’ but the omens are not good. We have become a very ordinary and rather futile unit. Sadly a defeat, not too large a defeat is about the best we can hope for.
It’s not so long ago that winning at Leicester was an absolute certainty. We are in sharp decline, it makes me sad to say it but I can see very light at the end of this particular tunnel.
Will the Board sack are gobbledegooking coach or will they put up with him until the end of the season……for financial reasons??
Ho hum the squad is rum!
G’day to you all, a fine sunny one here in Norfolk the very antithesis of the gloom surrounding the Glorious Gunners at the moment. 😉
Meanwhile the fallout from Xhakagate rumbles on…and on…and on.
To answer your headline question, Rico, by definition we must be weaker if any of our first team squad are unavailable, yes even our erstwhile captain.
Aside from building a human wall, to entirely block our goal, I can’t see us keeping a clean sheet this evening. Somehow Mustafi would find a way of scoring an own goal.
Whoever plays at full-back, and I sincerely hope it’s Bellerin and Tierney, will have to be alert to the threat of The Foxes wide players.
I’ll be happy to see us play on the break, but we must get the ball forward quickly, no farting about with the ball being passed aimlessly between our back for and the ‘keeper.
Incidentally, one of the two who attacked Kolascinac and Ozil has been jailed for twelve years. According to the court report the two were armed with a knife, a screwdriver and a knitting needle. Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, is calling for an amnesty to allow everyone to hand in their knitting in needles in order to lessen the chance of terrorists gaining access to such dangerous weapons.
A sharpened knitting needle would make a fine stiletto ,perhaps Ms Dick should hand her shoes in too.
Afternoon Rico/everyone,
My favourite Leicester player is James Madison,my favourite non Arsenal premier League player in fact.
Brendan Rodgers has them organised and playing as a team,in a lot less time than Emery by the way.
More than anything I hate the way the feeling of looking forward to an Arsenal game has largely gone.Not totally for me,I still want Arsenal to win.I understand those who want us to lose big,so Emery is sacked.
Sheffield United to beat Spurs, now that would make my weekend.
should they lose it might ease the pressure on our result .
I really can’t make my mind up about which live game to watch this evening, Leicester v Arsenal or England Women v Germany. At any time in the last 69 or so years that would never have been a question, the Arsenal game without doubt, but do I want to waste the early evening watching Emery’s awful tactics be played out once again?
England v Germany I think it is.
Thanks Rico.
I shall buck the trend and say I am really excited about this game as the fall out if we get beat easily will be blogging gold and if we win then Emery gets a little grace.
The players I would take from Leicester are Soyuncu, you know, the one we were relentlessly ruumoured to be buying, Ndidi, always liked NDidi men and Maddison.
Football is a funny old game and underdogs do win, for example a team light years ahead of Arsenal…………Man City, have lost an FA Cup Final to Wigan and lost in league to the likes of Wolves and C Palace, so we always have a chance.
I expect a fighting tight close game where we lose by the odd 7 goals…………..7-0 to Foxes and Count Emery assasinated in the post match interviev with a stake through the heart !……………..I`m excited and cant wait !
For the first time in many games, Emery’s lineup actually takes into account the opposition. Playing
3 at the back and flooding the middle. I would’ve gone with the lineup below, but his is an improvement from previous horrendous selections. There are so many possibilities with Xhaka out of the middle.
Leno
Bellerin Holding Tierney
Chambers Torreira Luis
Ozil
Aub Laca Pepe
Back 3 !………………………mind you, we could play a back 15 and still concede ! hahaha
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1193204052663816193
Instead we Leno, Bellerin, Chambers, Luiz Holding Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Torreira, Ozil Aubameyang and Lacazette.
Am not sure that Guendouzi will be able to hold, b and if he cant, Leicester’s midfield which is the strength of their team, will over run us. With Chamber, Luis and Torreira we will even the odds, which will give Ozil a chance to just roam.
COYG
JM be careful you don’t fall off of your TV set…
Thank goodness we have a 100 million plus worth of talent sitting on the bench to bring on when things start to go tits up in this game !
We really have to impress that it’s a good idea to pass to each other . How many times have we given it away ?
Watching this game, is there any reason why Luis shouldn’t be playing in the midfield? When we are in possession he’s been our play maker.
I guess that’s goodnight Arsenal.
So so depressing, does anyone remember when we used to attack with pace? If we can’t keep a clean sheet, we can’t pass consistently, what are we doing?
Andrew, stop being such a big girls blouse, we beat Newcastle on the opening day back in August, it’s not like we haven’t won away this season.
Utterly deflated. Is there no end to this continuing misery?
Evening Rico and all. Hiya Micko.
A bit more organised in a negative sort of way. Way, way off the pace though.
Raul and Edu were there so we must put our faith in them I suppose.
Depressing but unsurprising.
Playing with Auba and Lacar on the sides and Ozil in the middle was a mistake. Again and again, it’s not getting more strikers that we win a game or create more opportunities. There is simply not the essential point: that the ball does not reach the strikers. There is no player that can replace Xaxa. Pepa came in late. Go 4 games without winning.
Our goal is definitely not to be relegate.
How you doing Adam, the game should never have gone ahead, don’t care what anyone says, it was the wrong kinda rain, blowing in their faces & everything !
Heard a stat earlier, we haven’t beat a top four side away since 2015………shocking if true.
So predictable,we actually played OK for a long time, although it was only a matter of time until Leicester scored, our defending was seat of the pants stuff.
We looked better with 3 at the back, although that might not be right for most opposition.
We really have to get the best out of Aubameyang,out wide negates his effectiveness.Id play him as central striker with Lacazette in the number 10 position.
It’s so depressing we just lost 2-0 and the mood is – it could have been worse.We are the Arsenal, this is not good enough.
I don’t really think the board will sack Emery,but they should.
COYG
I’m
Good ebening, just coming on now
Not bad thanks Micko. Still hoping that we see the owners and management get a grip on things. How can they expect to fill the Emirates by trotting this stuff out all the time.
I’m kinda hopeful things are going to change soon.
Adam, the camera’s zoomed in on Edu earlier, can only be a matter of time before he gives the Ajax coach a tinkle and Wenger strolls up at Bayern lol.
Well that wasn’t good….
Evening Adam, guys.
I’ve no idea what Emery said but Big Tony reckons he needs more time…
Interesting to hear TA4 ‘s take on things blaming the last 10 years of recruitment.Not criticising the talent but the character of the players and their desire to play for the club . He pointed out that all the purchases have great stats but not the desire to be an Arsenal player. He says we are not looking in the right direction before we make our bids
And were not giving flowers to players mums anymore… lol
rico, I’ve no idea what Big Tone is on but he needs a little lie-down me thinks, catch ya tomorrow.
Ps………..you gotta stop sending me all those spam emails, it’s like your stalking me lol.
Edu certainly didn’t look as if he was enjoying what he was watching Micko..
Sorry about the emails Micko, I thought I’d managed to sort those out…
A not so good ebening all.
FACT……………….Arsenal have won fewer points in Count Emery`s first 50 PL games than Wenger`s last 50 PL games !
I think Emery is hanging on by the skin of his fangs !
We need a Tony Adams on the field, but off the field Tony Adams is like Count Emery`s Renfield !
Effectively he is saying that it doesn’t matter who the manager is the players are not good enough. He said that he has to make his mind up about formation and tactics and take it from there also that 4 th is not happening and that things have to turn round quickly to get 6th
Raul and Edu both in attendance !………………………….lets face it they have a great way out of this predictament in that it was Gazidis who brought Emery in, they need to act quickly and bring “their own man” in………………………..
The worst we`ve been since pre-Gorgeous George days ???
Head of Football Sanllehi and Technical Director Edu……………………………………..it`s all in the name !……………………………..If Edu cannot see anything remotely technical about Emery`s tactics then it`s upto the head of football to act !
Another fact !!……………………………..only 2 shots on target in last 2 games !…………………fair enough they were both away games so it wasn`t important to be attack minded or entertaining !
😉
I’m sure I agree with Big Tony re the players. Yes we need a couple of big characters but I think the rest are just lost without any leadership and/or direction…
We were bad under Wenger and he went, we are worse(fact) under Emery, unless it is about finance I dont see any point in carrying on with the man whatsoever, the longer it`s left the more stupid Raul and Edu are going to look……………………..time to act as I reckon I am right in saying that no one on here or anywhere else can see where a next win is coming from !
Despite my earlier misgivings I watched the game live and was initially surprised at how well we were defending….in comparison to the last dozen or so games.
With a back five plus two scrappers in front of them we looked quite well organised, we absorbed a good deal of pressure and found time for a few forays forward into their box.
That said, I really can’t see how Guendouzi failed to give away a penalty when he pulled a Leicester player back by the shoulder.
Unfortunately the good work at the back was let down by a poor performance up front, Lacazette and Aubameyang looked to be playing in different games to each other and Ozil’s craft was wasted because the seemed no connection with his two forwards.
Inevitably a lack of concentration and a defensive mix up allowed Leicester two goals and that was that.
The plus points for me were: Bellerin’s return to form, a fairly solid looking back three and a quite outstanding display by Leno.
If Emery is still around after the international break, I hope he sticks with the Chambers, Luiz, Holding combination and teams them with Bellerin and Kolasinac until Tierney attains full fitness and improves his positional play.
I’m not too disappointed by the result, I expected worse.
I genuinely feel sorry for our players.
Seems every game we change formation, tactics, starting line up etc etc
How the hell are they supposed to play decent, consistent football when there is nothing decent or consistent from week to week?
It’s sad.
I know they’ll cop their big salaries blah blah blah but surely, they want to play decent football.
Has Emery just made it all too complicated?
Very disappointing, but not as disappointing as the prospect of Emery still being in place after the Interlull, but I’ve gotta say, it would not surprise me one iota if that was actually the case…
New post up now