Morning all.
Mid October 2017 and 1-0 up at Vicarage Road against Watford only to be defeated 2-1. After the game Troy Deeney bleated on about Arsenal lacking ‘cojones’ which despite annoying many of us, pretty much hit the nail on the head. ‘No guts no glory’ is a saying heard many times and for Arsenal, it couldn’t have been more true.
We’d become soft, toothless and simply rolled over for sides who showed a bit of spirit. Sides who wanted three points more than our boys did.
Watching how easily Deeney out jumped Mertesacker during that game was painful, no, embarrassing. Funny though as just a couple of months later it was Watford who took a pasting from the same side with Deeney himself lacking ‘cojones’ as he ran up to take his penalty. Cech saved it which in itself was a bit of a surprise.
Nothing has really changed in that department for Arsenal, not yet anyway. Players are still being out jumped, out fought and easily bullied off the ball but there’s a simple reason for that I think. Players Arsene Wenger signed with a bit of attitude to their personality were either worn down to become nice men or as in Gabriel’s case, sold. Ask yourself this, would you prefer Gabriel in our defence rather than Mustafi? Or Sokratis, although I don’t think he’s one who would fear putting his head in the way of anything.
Emery has gone into this season with a defence no better than we’ve had for the last few years and you don’t need me to tell you why, although I’m going to. Other than Sokratis and Lichtsteiner, he’s got the same players and apart from slotting in at left back, Lichtsteiner hasn’t played.
We’ve got Cech who’s flapping around worse than Fabianski ever did, Bellerin who is better bombing down the wing than he is defending, a German who seems out of his depth and then Monreal, the ever reliable Monreal. Not only are the defenders Wenger left behind trying to learn a new way which again looks an impossible task for them but they’re in desperate need of toughening up. If the defensive area of the pitch was London, you’d thrown them an A to Z because then they might find their way. There’s no leader in there, no organisation and it’s an absolute mess.
Three months and four games in and were no more assured at the back than we were last season or many seasons before. Mavropanos and Holding are the only other central options for Emery right now and Lichtsteiner is the other guy who can come in for Bellerin. It’s far from ideal and in my opinion, only spending some money is going to improve things in that department.
On paper our midfield is so much stronger than last season and once Torreira is deemed ready to start, it’ll be stronger still but it’s still not right, not as defensive unit. Even when the midfield get back to help the defence, there’s plenty of bodies floating around, but no real plan. Opposition players are being left free to roam and free to score as Cardiff proved on Sunday. We’ll win nothing playing the way we are but as already said, Emery has very limited options available to him which might have been better had Chambers not been sent out on loan.
This is where Unai Emery needs to show he’s got cojones and fast I think because soon, it’ll be too late. Start with Cech, hoof him out and bring in Leno. See if he is more demanding of the players around him, more vocal and more of a leader. If his application of the new style of play at the back comes more natural to him, the two central defenders might just relax a bit more and show more confidence with their passing and defending in general. A big ‘might’ I know but until it’s tried, we’ll never know.
Tell Xhaka his level is not good enough, he’s too slow to react when others need him and his help. Tell him to improve his fitness, sharpen up his game or find another club in January. So what if he gets a sulk on, he’s paid handsomely for doing a job, a job he’s not actually doing. Same for Bellerin. His primary function in the side is to defend, Lichtsteiner knows this, Bellerin should too by now. He lacks any kind of protect more often than not but that’s where our midfield comes in. Whose job is it to cover when our full backs go forward?
Tell Ozil a football match is for ninety five minutes and not just the occasional five minutes when he feels like it and Ramsey, well give him a role and tell him to do it. Pep Guardiola wouldn’t accept mediocrity and neither should Unai Emery and if he can’t drop underperforming players then he’s not the kind of guy our club needs. I’ve not given up on the Spaniard, far from it actually, I’m just making suggestions.
For far too long we’ve been soft, don’t like a physical battle and shy away from a 50/50 instead of going in fair and hard. Cardiff, Watford, Newcastle and other clubs like them will, as do a few players at City, Totts, Chelsea etc when they need to so why don’t we?
Get smarter, toughen up and be men.
Good morning Rico, to paraphrase Corporal Jones “They don’t like it up ’em Mr Emery”.
Morning all.
They’re professionals, and should act accordingly and that includes giving their all on the pitch.
Ramsey is a simple fix.
Tell him to cut the fancy shit and get back to basics.
When he plays simple football, he’s brilliant.
When he lairs it up, the errors negate the good.
Morning Cicero, all.
Dropping Cech would be where I’d begin..
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I’d happily go along with that Rico.
Morning all and nice one Rico.
Something you said on last post rings true, whatever Dick says to players is surely lost when in play for example, any player on the ball should not be thinking……..”Dick told me to do this etc`”…………..they should do things on instinct or what comes natural most times.
Xhaka hit one bad pass near to halfway line which resulted in a goal, but Cech twice nearly cost us a goal with trying to play out from back when hoofing would have been less dangerous safer option, if Arter had scored from from Cech`s attempted assist, not only would we have been on his back, but also on Dick`s back for the system Cech has been asked to play !
Alisson gifted Leicester a goal on the same lines………………..teams will get cute to goalies trying to be fancy ballplayers, Cech trying a Cruyff turn near his goal is ridiculously suicidal.
Are Watford the new Leicester ?
Thanks Lc. Not for the first time either for Cech..
Give Cech the same advice as Ramsey and he will improve, as well.
Problem with Cech is he has a dodgy helmet which disables his vision……………………………..and as for that thing he wears on his head ………………………..
Damn, LC lol
I think Cech is too old in the tooth to change..
🙂 Lc, I like that one..
In case you are wondering what the surfs like down here ? ( this one is Hayle )…………………………….there are other beach links below it !
http://www.camsecure.co.uk/hayle_webcam.html
Hi Ri co and the house,been a
Long time
We need to give emery 2 to 3 transfer windows to get rid of the wenger ‘s crap players and get the ones he wants in
I am 100% behind him and haven’t been so excited about the future since 2004
Bit under the radar, but Spuds U21`s lost to Crawley on penalties last night in the EFL Trophy…………..any Spud loss makes the heart glow 🙂
Our U21`s are being sent to Coventry next Wednesday !
Just having a break from grass cutting and thought I`d watch our U23`s beat Spud U23`s on Arsenal Player……………………an enormously enjoyable 10 min or so !…………………….loved the hand bags near the end where a Spud got sent off ! 😀
You aren’t a journalist by any chance Rico? Good copy, comprehensive, accurate coverage of the bits that matter so,a pat on the back.
Hoofing the ball upfield is fine if you have someone built like a giraffe who can lay the ball off, but the usual scenario is that it comes straight back.
Giroud was quite good at aerial layoffs (gone elsewhere of course) …………….so is there someone in the current ranks that could play that role?
Maybe Emery has a point playing from the back so you retain possession, but then Cech has to be retired as his feet don’t seem to be connected to the bit up top?
Hi All:
Are people having problem getting on the site? Since yesterday, I keep getting kicked off.
Evening guys, Mg.
Thank you but I’m not Andorra but I wish I was as I’d be rich.. lol
Obi, what’s happening when you try to get on here please?
Yep, like Obi I’m back to being continually being reloaded!
Good read though Rico. I’ll add to the remarks when the site lets me!
Dark and cool here, well it is night time!😎
Thanks Wavy, as I asked Obi, what happens please? Do comments just disappear, won’t the site load or do you get an error message?
My Spanish ain’t great so graci arse rico, everyone knows Troy and his team mates were spying on us through the bushes at London Colney last season, that’s just cheating in my books.
Mine neither Micko but google translate is good.. lol
Morning guys.
New post up now