Good morning.
What matters isn’t how well you play when you’re playing well. What matters is how well you play when you’re playing badly.
Martina Navratilova.
Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest sportswomen ever, didn’t do bad very often during her prime but even when she appeared to be having an off day, she was still good enough to beat her opponent.
Arsenal were bad yesterday. The worst kind of bad we’ve seen all season. We could so easily been awarded an early penalty, possibly should have and then maybe things would have turned out differently but considering the way we played, I doubt it. Guendouzi went in the book early for a nasty challenge and later in the game, Sokratis joined him which means he’ll miss the next two matches after clocking up ten for the season. Mustafi and Monreal also found themselves in Kevin Friend’s little black book.
As far as our top four hopes go, yesterday’s result has done us some serious damage but more worrying is the performance. The freedom allowed to the Everton players, the space on the flanks, the lack of our ability to string a few passes together and the defending for their goal. We were spared a seriously embarrassing score line by Everton because in front of goal, they were woeful.
The question now though is was that performance just a blip? If it was and we go to Watford and get a win, fine. If we don’t, then they’ll be cause for concern. There’s little doubt we’ll all have an opinion on Unai Emery’s team selection but right through that starting eleven, apart from AMN, we’re international footballers. Yet it seemed like they really couldn’t be bothered. We were second to nearly every ball with only Lacazette rolling up his sleeves. Mustafi made a few really important clearances but his lack of pace was evident against a team with quick footed players. Elneny and Guendouzi were out of their depth. The early booking for the Frenchman meant for the rest of the match he had to be careful. Very careful which didn’t help our cause. As for Elneny, he didn’t do a lot wrong but he’s simply not what this Arsenal team needs in the centre of midfield.
Ozil and Mkhitaryan were poor in my opinion and I hope we don’t see both in the team at Watford next Monday. Thankfully Xhaka, Koscielny and Torreira should be back for that one.
In fact pretty much every player, barring the kicked to pieces Lacazette, had a game to forget. As did Unai Emery. The team looked like a bunch of footballers thrown together at the last minute and told to get on with it. Something I didn’t think I’d ever write considering Unai Emery spends so much time on analysing the opposition. Mkhitaryan had one shot on goal which went just wide of the far post and Ramsey had a couple of chances which went begging. Other than that, we created very little. Iwobi looked the more likely to do something good after coming on. At least he went forward with the ball instead of sideways and backwards passing.
Everton on the other hand were totally opposite. Hungry, chasing down every ball, quick on the press and simply better than us.
Anyway, Napoli await us next. I think we’ll need a big win at The Emirates if we’re to have a chance of progressing. Especially if yesterday’s away performance is anything to go by…
Catch you guys in the comments..
Morning Rico and all. I agree. Yesterday was a complete shit-show and we could spend hours dissecting what went wrong. It would be futile I think. Emery has to address this horrible away form and quickly if we are to have any hope of scraping that top 4 place. He’ll need all his motivational skills now and every player should respond unless they want to see the season fade away into a horrible conclusion. The excellent home form has been counterbalanced by the disappointment of the away games where the team have been mostly awful.
Morning Adam. It’s spilled over from last season I think. It has to be a psychological issue.
I know Ozil is our most creative player but he gives us little else and on days like yesterday, he gave the team nothing imo. He certainly doesn’t deserve to wear the captains armband. Being captain is a privilege but Emery seems to dish it out without thought. It’s embarrassing I think. In the absence of Koscielny someone like Sokratis, Monreal or Kolasinac should wear it.
Playing Mkhitaryan and Ozil in the same team away from home doesn’t work either. I’m no manager but why not bring on Jenks and push AMN up yesterday because they enjoyed too much freedom down our right and AMN was left to hang imo.
Same on our left, Richarlison had all the time and space in the world…
Morning Rico, surprised you were asking if that performance was a blip. It is not because of any other factor other than being very poor travellers that our chances for top 4 is written off, since we have more away games in the run in. But even with the reputation, we were so bad, so annoying and so bereft of ideas on the pitch. Emery’s tactics of reserving Ramsey and Aubamayang,, perhaps for a second half flourish, went poof in his face. It was all a problem from the middle. Once we were overpowered, outmuscled and out-thought there, the game was over.
But the real issues are 1. Our players are so weak, lazy ok but very weak. Monreal, Elneny, AMN, Ozil, inf act, with the exception of Lacazette and Papas, oothers were pathetic. 2. The future doesn’t look good because if Suarez is Emery’s idea of the kind of players we need, then there is trouble. 3. Severely shocked that a team of internationals can play like this. I beleieve that it may be a psychological problem. The team needs a psychologist as they looked so afraid particularly Monreal and AMN. Is it stage fright,? Or what can make players like these forget how to pass, or simply locate their team mates without gifting the ball to their opponents.
Rico, sad, very sad. We need a whole lot of weeding in this team.
Morning all.
I can handle players putting in and having a shocker, but I never understand it when every player looks lethargic.
Hundred grand a week and the effort is lacking?
Professional pride please gents-you earn enough to show us that, at least.
As for the goal, 4 players stood there with arms raised asking for offside instead of doing their bloody jobs!!!
5 year olds are told to play to the whistle but apparently, professional footballers are too good for that.
Morning Daniel. I kind of meant a blip in terms of our recent form rather than the season as a whole. If Emery can sort the problem out between now and next Monday then perhaps we’ll have a chance at Watford etc. Right now though, the club has a serious problem with our away form and it’s likely to kill our season off.
Seeing that really cheesed me off Scott. If I was Emery I’d lay into them for that kind of thing..
Morning everyone, a gloomy one weather-wise and, from the direction of our “players” – now there’s a misnomer.
The teams we are about to play in the league are, for the most part, playing some good football, getting results and, they are going to be at home. Watford, Wolves, Leicester to name three.
Agree with you Daniel – on yesterdays lethargic, spineless effort, we’ll be leaking more away goals and we certainly won’t make the top four.
Not a chance!
UE has to bring in some of the youngsters who have impressed, in all departments and consign those whose current temperament lacks the X-Factor, to the “did-not-make-the-bench-collection”. We cam all make a list of those can’t we?
Hi Rico,
I don’t get it.
I’ve never seen an official change their mind because I’d protesting players so what do they think they’ll achieve?
Very amateurish.
Agree Scott. I’ve never seen an Arsenal team do this as much as this lot do..
Good morning Rico and all, no doom and gloom over Norfolk I can assure you. Clear blue sky, bright sun and warm after last night’s dense fog. On the (local) football front Norwich City are looking good for promotion to the Premiership. On the ball City!!!
I wish that some of the sunshine could pierce the gloom over Arsenal after yesterday’s shoddiest of shoddy performances. If that was a precursor of what we can expect over the rest of the season we can forget Champions League qualification and also Europa League glory.
One example of the malaise, that seems to have overtaken Arsenal of late, was following an Arsenal corner we lost possession and Everton broke forward, we did have a couple of players in our own half but the rest just jogged back as though defending was no part of their responsibility.
It must have been embarrassing for Emery to have to substitute his choice of captain-of-the-day whose show of petulance, throwing his coat to the ground, only highlighted his unsuitability for the role.
Rico I know how much you like AMN, but he cannot be excused from the criticism, his positional play was poor and his forward play largely ineffective.
For a player so lauded in the media, Ramsey was what he has always been, a waster of good scoring chances whilst appearing to cover every blade of grass, yet seldom in the area in which he could and should have been effective.
I have no idea how Emery is going to improve our away performances, sadly I doubt if he has either.
Cicero,
Ramsey has been lauded because he’s been playing bloody well.
Even most of his critics admit that.
One average performance and bang……
Sorry Scott, you and I will never agree about Ramsey.
Fair enough, but Juve and I will.
It’s quite an endorsement.
We deserved nothing but why could I spot the Digne’s foot over the line for the throw and none of the officials did?
Morning Cicero. They were all poor yesterday imo, apart from Iwobi when he came on and Lacazette.. I don’t think anyone can really be singled out, not even AMN or Ramsey. Dreadful all round…
Cicero, you too have noticed Rico’s love for AMN? Well, I think he plays because there is no alternative. He has potential but on the strength of what he shows, we have a long time on our hands to wait.
Daniel, if we let these young guys go before they’re given a chance, fans complain.
If we give them a chance to gain experience and mature, fans complain.
What’s the answer?
I don’t have a particular love for AMN, I just think that all things considered he’s been doing a really good job a right back. Yesterday he wasn’t as good but then so called bigger and better players were poor too.
I agree Scott.
Scottfromoz, don’t get me wrong. He has got potential but I think he should go on loan to a smaller side where he can play more regularly, gain confidence and actualise the potential. We should not lower the bar just because he’s got potential. After all, what has happened to the others before him with even more potential.
Why though? He’s been really good of late, why not just let him learn whilst at Arsenal. One off performance and he’s thrown to the wolves.
Afternoon Gooners
Afternoon Rico, I’ve read the post but not the comments yet. So I hope I’m not replicating anyone else.
If this game proved anything, it proved just how much, that in top level football, that it is played between the ears of footballers as much as anywhere else.
Why did Maitland-Niles for example look so casual and almost timid, was he scared of the Everton fans?
Why did Kolasinac fall back into his old habits of gifting possession with almost 50% of his passes going astray?
Why do Mkhitarayan, Aubameyang and Ozil perform so inadequately away from the Emirates so regularly?
Why does Mustafi lose concentration so often and lose the players he’s supposed to be marking (Jagieika on this occasion)?
It’s so often the same players, with the same issues with most of them far too long in the tooth to change. So the only answer is to change the players…
Elneny is a decent player, but he’s not Arsenal quality.
I love Nacho Monreal, but his legs are going and going fast.
Guendouzi needs an experienced partner alongside him, he lost his cool after the early assault on Lacazette and his anger at seeing us denied a penalty surely played a part in the rash challenge that left with a yellow card and his walking on eggshells afterwards.
Ramsey isn’t fit and Iwobi has inexplicably lost form at the worst time of the season.
This was game where we really could have done with Danny Welbeck.
It’s psychological, it always was and it’s been this way since Gallas had his immature strop back in the day and sat down on the pitch at half time, the fecking idiot…
I’m not going to blame Wenger, but many of the worst exponents of our mental weakness are his players all the same Emery has to shoulder some of the blame as he failed to change his tactics during the 1st half so we could cope with basically Everton’s long ball to Calvert-Lewin – and you can be sure that Watford, Leicester, Burnley and Wolves will have taken note of how we failed to deal with the long ball.
Add the absence of Sokratis for our next two EPL games, the only Arsenal defender who came out of yesterday’s game with any credit and we could see top four disappear before the 2nd leg with Napoli…
Afternoon Kev. Really good comment. The sooner most of the flaky and soft players are moved on the better. As players with a different attitude come in, hopefully the others will catch up and a stronger mentality will become the majority and not the minority…
Hi Rico, good post btw and I agree with the above, the trouble is because of the lack of financial support from our owners, it’s going to take ages for Emery to change the squad and whilst he’s doing that our better financed competitors will move further ahead of us still, so we’re basically taking one step forward whilst our competitors take three, it’s a recipe for regular spells in the Europa League, so we’d better get used to the austerity under Enos as it could be for a long long time.
Having watched in recent weeks Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Tottenham enjoy copious slices of good fortune from probably the worst bunch of officials in living memory it does stick in the throat that in two successive games we’ve been denied two clear goals and a clear penalty and that’s without going over the dodgy goals we’ve conceded all season and other good Arsenal goals chalked off when officials have failed to do their jobs.
It’s becoming endemic, almost every game, is it no wonder that many Arsenal fans suspect a deliberate policy emanating from Mike Riley.
Mike Riley might be awful and he was quite rightly suspected of being a cheat when he was a referee as he certainly stitched up Arsenal on a regular basis when in the middle, but I doubt that there’s anything corrupt at the heart of the PGMOL. It’s just that the man at the helm is inadequate for the job and therefore it’s not a shock to see how the standard of officiating has declined under his poor stewardship especially when we recall his awful refereeing.
As far as I know there’s never been a World Cup in the post war era without any English officials, but it’s happened under Riley’s watch, a fact that is studiously swept under the carpet by the media and other stakeholders. I mean, we don’t want anything to besmirch the EPL, the greatest show on earth and a massive money spinner…
So yes, our away form is shit, but so are the officials and that along with no luck has conspired to make our top four run in a nightmare…
But I’ll still do my best to enjoy it 🙂
Thanks Kev. I don’t know, if we sign more like Sokratis, Torreira and Guendouzi, we could be much better than we are. It’s the Mustafi’s, Özil’s etc we need rid of. For all the talent Ozil might posses, he’s toothless and I mean more than just not defending.
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Good post summed up the game completely.
Rico when I started posting on H/H I promised myself I would never comment
on the first team I would leave it to the guys that watched them all the time.
I have always thought that Kev, Adam and Potter were part of the club and and have always looked forward to what they have to say.
However I have seen comments on here today about AMN that I think are over the top,and they
were made in a way that suggested you were the only one that rated him how wrong they are.
my next comment is about AMN who is some one I rate very highly.
Be back later
( By the way at one stage I thought Kev was the King and Adam was Pat Rice)
Afternoon Rick. Thanks.
I really like AMN. Admittedly sometimes he can look a bit casual but I think he’s doing really well. I like most of the younger players who have been used this year and a lot more than some of our overpaid senior players who seem to just think they above putting a bit of effort in. That’s why I like Lacazette too…
😂 re Kev, Potter and Adam.
Rico 2013 was not a very good year with very little positives.
However one of them was my watching the U18’s first game of the season.
It was a 2-1 win against Liverpool, and the winning goal was scored by a young kid
named Maitland Niles.
In that side that day I can remember Criss Willock Iwobi Jebb and others.
Niles played at No7 and had very good game .Beside scoring he also hit the bar.
Since then I have followed his development where ever he has played.
I think he will go on to save us a lot of many IF he is played in his best position.
For those calling for him to go on loan, he has already done it and i dont think he wants to do it again.
He went to Ipswich and for the first 2 months(or so) played at no 7.
The Ipswich fans loved him he was voted player of the month.
But it all went sour when Mick moved him to right back just like Gatting had done.
Since then he has done everything that was asked of him, right back, Left back wing back
but never as a no 7 which I think is his best position.
For the past 4 years I have been telling every one who would listern to me he is not
a defender never has been never will be.
As for yesterdays game Leno was the only one that came out of it with any credit.
Now I except that AMN had a shocker but I think he was let down by lack of support from those around
him who I thought were running around like headless chickens.
I could say more but the U23’s are playing tonight and I need to cool down.
So guys give the kid some space and remember Rico is not his only fan
Sorry Rico rant over
I’m of a similar view Rick. To single out AMN would be unfair because of what you have said, certainly not playing in his best position but I’ve never heard him moan. (Read)
As said in the post, he had no support and nor did our left side and all because others can’t be bothered to roll their sleeves up.
Football is a team game but we weren’t a team yesterday..
Some illuminating comments there guys, and I can understand any manager having to resort to playing players out of position when, really pushed due to injuries but for heavens sake, why put AMN at right back when in essence he’s a forward, as you said Rick?
I am now getting concerned that Emery is losing the plot regarding who plays, against which team, when it is patently obvious to most of us (LOL) that
nothing can be taken for granted with the run-in against teams who have a spring in their step, a tough nut to crack anyway due to their physicality and desire not to be steam-rollered, and he chooses to play Özil and, gives him the Captains armband. I think I’m having a fit!
Özil has spent many occasions not playing because he is “ill” but he doesn’t, imo, look completely 100% health-wise anyway. Dark rings under his eyes, symptoms of allergies (hard work? lol) and fatigue……..??
Arsenal need to cut their losses and shift him elsewhere.
Referees and linesmen (junior referees?) are just, inept……..poor doesn’t seem to cover it. American football has three referees and one of which is the senior guy. How come, with all the money thrown at players and the game that we, as fans, have to endure TWO linesmen who CANNOT cover the entire line they are on and referees who don’t keep up with play and can’t tell the difference between malicious intent and poor timing on tackles?
Did they ever play football?
https://twitter.com/ArsenalAcademy/status/1115302310639472641
1-0 John Jules
26mins 2-0 John Jules Brilliant Goal
33mins 3-0 Joe Willock This one evenbetter
Shame we didn`t play some of these youngsters against Everton ! 🙂
HT 3-0 Joe Willock looking the busness
Think I’ll start following the academy teams…. 😜
And the women… lol
My first comment of the day . It’s grandkids day out and they are still going and I am dozing off in the armchair. I said what I thought of the match yesterday but quickly went through the comments tonight.The AMN comments surprised me it was a lacklustre performance from the whole team he was no better or worse than the rest.
I agree with Rick until he gets to play in the midfield we will never know. living in east anglia his Ipswich adventure was well publicised in the local press and his mother’s spat with McCarthy didn’t help him .
He needs to play and it needs to be with us
60 mins 4- 0 Amaechi
I’m of the same view. A loan for AMN would be a waste. And a step backwards.
78MINS 5-0 Sax Medley Great header
Finished 5-0.
Very good all round team performance, it was a pleasure watching them.
Joe Willock is too good for this level should be with the first team.
Saying that he did not play the seconed half could he be in the squad for Napoli
Ballard made yet another goal clearence and is forging a good understanding with Ben Sheaf,
Quiet day!
Silence is golden!
Ok, wakey wakey you lot…
Question, what three positions would you strengthen in the summer?
And
Baring in mind that we can’t sell everybody 😉 – how many and who would you sell in the summer?
Okay Kev signings, central defence, defensive midfielder, midfield playmaker. Perhaps bringing Chambers back would be the answer to the dm.
Sellings, Mustafi, Koscielny, Ozil, Mkhitaryan.
Mustafi is just not good enough, Ozil and Mkhitaryan are grossly overpaid, for what they produce, and Koscielny is now chronically injury prone.
Afternoon guys, One of those days.
Good question Kev.
Not including those on loan.
Sign – CH, Cdm and striker ( and left back, right back, two wingers and a keeper)
Sell – Mustafi, Elneny, Ozil, Mkhitaryan and probably Xhaka.
This Ozil blaspheming has to stop !………………….want to be struck down by lightning ?
😆
I would sign a centre half, an attacker who can play on the flanks or through the middle and a left back.
Only three Rico… 😄
I’d sell Mustafi, Elneny, Jenkinson, Chambers and at a push Mkhitarayan.
.
I forgot Jenks Kev…
😜
If we are talking fantasy football I’d be selling or releasing
Cech
Lichtssteiner
Mustafi
Elneny
Mkhitaryan
Ramsey
Ozil
Kolasinac
Suarez
Wellbeck
Ospina
Asano
I’d promote
Martinez
Pleguezuelo
Bramall
Medley
Gil our
Willock
Nelson
Bielik
Smith Rowe
And I would buy a top notch
Left back
Right winger
Creative attacking midfield
Left Winger.
But that’s a lot for one window.
I’m hearing that Harry Kane could have done his ankle ligaments and that it could be a seasons end injury for Harry boy….
Fingers crossed…
Kane slipped as he went to take Delph out. Other players were slipping over throughout the game. The New Swamp pitch is not fit for purpose.
Rest of the season I read too Kev. We’ll take any help we can get… 😉
Morning all.
Morning Rico, tomorrow could be a season defining game but I’m not confident at all, the manner of our performance against Everton really worried me, so many of our players were below par and I really don’t know why?
Sokratis can play, Torrieira could return, maybe Xhaka as well, but there remains a soft center to this squad of players and I can’t see that changing until the personnel have changed.
Morning Rico and all. I dipped in and out of the Spud’s game last night and couldn’t believe how inert and wasteful Man City were. Is the pressure of the situation getting to them or is this just a new and more pragmatic Pep?
https://www.soccerstats.com/homeaway.asp?league=england
Morning Kev, we should be ok at home but it’s the away match which concerns me…
Morning Adam.
New post up now.
Good Morning Rico, and All,
Because we have been playing some very good football at home, and I was able to go to a couple of games, I have been very relaxed about playing Napoli up until now.
Suddenly, the sharp shock of seeing such a miserable performance at the weekend makes me wonder if we will get monstered away by Napoli. Everton are a very ‘ordinary’ team and that says a lot about our guys when they are not in the mood to play as a team, as you have said earlier Rico.
I am looking for more optimistic bloggers to bring me back my hope — altho ‘hope’ is a feeling and not a plan, so it will take Mr Emery as well as the team to do something special, too.
Hi Henry B, RA, or whatever.