Morning all.
‘I say in the pre-season, in five or six weeks, you can implement how you want to play football. That’s the good thing about pre-season. It’s not what I have and I just try to do small building blocks and try to change things in a slow tempo, so hopefully we can understand it and practice it, but right now we have players who need to recover and we probably only get one and a half (training sessions) again before the next game. That’s football, for me I just try to make it as simple as possible for the players and hopefully we can get better.’ – Freddie Ljungberg.
In eighteen months of trying, Unai Emery couldn’t improve the style of football we played. He couldn’t improve the way we defend or any other aspect of our game. Everything was lethargic, uninspiring and quite frankly, boring. How could anyone truly believe that after just 48 hours after his departure, much would change?
I think the main thing many of us here hoped to see was a change is attitude and I’d say we saw it. Instead of taking the lead in a game and going on to draw it, twice we went behind, yet twice we fought back to equalise. That’s something positive in my opinion, although had our front players been in the form we expect of others, we’d have been two goals to the good before Norwich scored.
Yes, the defending was as bad as it’s been for ten years or more, our midfield was weak and porous and we lacked ruthlessness in front of goal. No way were we going to be any different to how we’ve been for the last eighteen months in my opinion, not after such a short period of time under a different coach. At least the smiles were back on the players faces, the attitude appeared better and Bernd Leno had a great game between the sticks. Kolasinac looked a bit more like the player we first signed and we fought back well with Torreira nearly nicking all three points at the end.
Mustafi, Sokratis, Luiz. Is there really much difference between the three? All have errors written into their game so playing any two of the three together gives us a weak central defensive pairing. Mustafi turning his back on both goals is something he’s done before and will do so again unless someone drums it out of him. Expecting him, or Luiz for that matter to turn into Tony Adams overnight just isn’t going to happen.
I was surprised not to see Torreira and Holding in our starting eleven, Tierney too. I was surprised Pepe didn’t come on from the bench either but from what Freddie said after the game, he needs to be doing more in training. Perhaps he’s not the only one, or maybe others you or I would have preferred to see in the starting eleven aren’t fully match fit.
Judging by how soon into the second half our players seemed to tire, I’d say there’s a fitness concern in general. Either they’d worked a lot harder than they have been of late and their bodies aren’t used to it, or they’re on the edge of burnout due to training too hard which I know sounds stupid but what other reason can there be? They don’t want to play for Freddie? Their body language and general attitude suggested they do.
Of course we all want to see improvement but let’s at least give Freddie and Merts a few weeks instead of just hours before casting them aside.
Our next match is at home on Thursday evening. The first for us to be broadcast by Amazon Prime, or whatever it’s called. I would bet my last shilling on Torreira starting, but I lost it yesterday….
Have a good Monday guys…
Morning all.
Our boys showed up, imo.
It’s all we can really ask in such a short turnaround since Emery left.
We can’t simply expect these players to change into solid defenders overnight, but I believe we can help them quickly and easily.
A-start Torreira to offer some protection.
B-ditch playing our from the back.
C-demand our players shut down opponents when on the counter as quickly as possibly, as several times yesterday we just kept backing away, inviting them into more dangerous positions.
Those 3 simple things will see our defensive unit under less pressure, imo.
Hi All, Rico well put, I just watch some Youtube clips and nearly smashed the computer listening and watching some fans complaining about Freddie and hopeing that he’s gone before Christmas.
I believe we should all get together and show Freddie that we are willing to give him and the team our support until Christmas to try and turn thing around, then start judging him
I thought our playing out from the back was marginally better yesterday.
We definitely give the opposition too much time on the ball and as much as Aubameyang runs around up front, he didn’t really put Norwich defenders under any pressure.
The midfield was just full of holes.
I’ve no idea why you let extreme views get to you Geoff.
The performance was poor, but the attitude different so that’s a start imo. If in 3/4 weeks time Freddie still has the job and things haven’t improved then that’s the time to worry imo. Even if he surges up the defending in that time, we’ll look better.
But as I said, this is ten years of damage he and anyone who follows him has to sort out and all the time our defenders are full of errors and our midfield lacks a character, it’s a tough tough job.
Aubameyang was going for and winning balls in the air. Kolasinac was solid rather than gung ho , Willock was box to box , Ozil put in a shift but was blown out by 60 minutes , ( that’s fitness ) .
Personally I would have reversed the subs and bought on Martinelli before Saka other than that it was a first go and a difficult one .
A loss and the spirit would have gone for good , it seems to me that we never have easy games away to Norwich we seem to be one team that they get up for every time we play them .
I would have settled for a draw before kick off and despite being disappointed not to have won it’s worth remembering, so might they.
Morning all,,
totally agree with above comments, aggressive closing down of opponents should be a minimum expectation.
Also on the subject of personnel, what on earth has happened to Ainsley Maitland-Niles ? Not even a mention of him.
COYG
Hi Rico I guess I have too much love for our club that’s why it get to me. I know we need to fix the back line but I feel we need a good strong leader on the field as well I am not sure if Aubameyang got the fire in him to have a go at the players on the on field I may say this wrong but the minute you cross the white line on match day you are not friends you are a team and that’s were a strong leader takes over. after the match have a beer and be friends by all means.
Agree re Kolasinac, he was certainly up for the game yesterday. Best he’s played in a while. Chambers too had a bit about him I thought.
Mustafi wasn’t too bad either other than turning his back on a shot but he’s not going to help us win anything any more than Luiz, Xhaka etc will.
We really need someone strong both mentally and physically in midfield..
As we all do Geoff…
Good question re AMN Limey. He was struggling so I guess Emery ditched him. Maybe Freddie will inject a bit of confidence back into him over the weeks to come.
Perhaps he could do with a loan in January if he’s not going to play.
Just a thought on Xhaka , The opening 20 minutes before our midfield dis appeared and they scored was operating well . He was doing what he should be doing linking play and spreading diagonal passes and stretching their defence . He actually looked quite good but once the rot set in all of our dominance went and so did our confidence , shape and from then on Norwich had the midfield freedom to play and it became a basket ball match.
We need time to think this out , a new reshuffle of resources is required and it’s a shame that Emery was not removed at the beginning of the international break to give Freddie and Per time to think about it.
Another thing about Xhaka is he’s stopped taking a shot on goal. A couple of times he had a good opportunity to take a chance.
We’ve said before, our problems are team based, one cog goes missing and everything breaks down. It’s fixable I think but it’ll take time and our patience.
Morning Rico and all.
Whatever you might like to call it, there’s a disjointed shape to our football that started a long time ago. A disconnect that runs through the team and a sense of the individual as opposed to the collective. Ignoring what little input Freddie might have had, it still seems so ingrained to me that little short of a team rebuild by the right man might well be needed to re-make the team in a different image. It’s for this reason that the next appointment is going to need some bravery from the board and if, as I fear, a rebuild and a re-education will be required to turn Arsenal into a top team, that’s not going to be achieved over a couple of transfer windows and a season. Having said that, I think the right appointment and shrewd buying and selling could see us looking realistically at a top 4 finish next season.
From the beginning Unai never really looked to me as if he had the philosophy or the personal power to carry us forward from where we have slipped. Another left-field choice could see us back here in 18 months so we must hope that the board have insight, luck and the funds to push the club into what would be new territory for them because football has changed since Arsene came in and transformed the club. The alternative looks bleak and the fans and presumably the sponsors desperately need something to believe in.
Hi Adam,
Do you reckon an Allegri or the like will want to re-build a squad, or do we need to look for a younger guy trying to build his career?
Morning Adam. Said the same in the post. This isn’t a squad like the one Pep, Klopp and Mourinho took over as they were already either doing well and just needed a few extra players, or were simply going through a state of boredom perhaps in the case of Toots.
Many of our squad have played under both our previous managers, some just Emery but both failed to address our defensive issues on the pitch.
We could sign the next VVD and we’d still be no better imo because this group of players have picked up far too many bad habits. Freddie said he isn’t go rip it all up and start again, probably because time isn’t on his side but eventually, someone needs to but to do so, different players are needed as well as different coaching. Freddie might be the right, but he might not too.
Hi Scott. Every option will bring their own risks I think. Personally I would look for a man with a history of improving players and not just a spender. I suppose you could compile a pros and cons for most managers. Allegri is a winner but has never worked in the PL. His game would centre on defence, which is good but his English is poor apparently. He has stature and a certain presence though. Likewise Ancelotti who does know the PL and speaks excellent English.
The list goes on and I’m sure we all have our preferences.
Another problem we have is money. No CL football for the last few years means a much reduced budget I’d have thought. A top top manager will want money to spend on the squad imo and unless we win the Europa League, that probably means selling first.
Hi Rico. I would anticipate a lot of ins and outs for sure which means time and a strong man at the helm. There’s not a lot in the current squad that do much for me so it’s good that I’m not a manager. 😃
There are so many factors in selecting the “right” manager, and there seems to be no stand out selection unless we look at Pochettino, who ticks every box except, and it’s a large one, winning trophies which realistically we are several seasons away from, anyway.
I can’t believe i just said that lol
I’d rather we go for a younger guy who, all going well, could give us 5-7 seasons which I doubt we’d get from an older gent.
The board have a tough call to make but hey, that’s their job and at least the first, vital step was made.
I’ll be honest, a few weeks back I’d never have seen Freddy as a potential manager and for no reason I can put a finger on, but I do hope he succeeds!
I’ve always looked towards guys who had limited ability on the pitch but made the very, very best of it, as brilliantly talented guys often can’t teach what they had-maybe because it was all based on instinct and that’s part of the reason I like Arteta, but Freddy is the man now, and he is worth giving a damn good crack.
Ha ha Adam…
Hi all I keep hearing people mention Allegri possible as our new coach but unless I am mistaken I read on the weekend that the board have turn off him as they think he to arrogant after they asked him what he can bring to the club and he replied with you tell me why I would want to coach arsenal or something simular
Geoff I heard that’s the reason they turned off him 18 months ago but who knows?
Hi All just looked it up, according to Mirror.co.uk 2 days ago they claim Arsenal fc board turned off Massimiliano Allegri as he is too arrogant
Rico. The whole of the central defence needs a complete overhaul. We have Saliba coming in but need a couple of potentially elite players in there. Central midfield too is a very weak area in our team. I would keep Guendouzi purely because of his age and potential (under the right manager). But Xhaka, obviously and Torreira I would replace and both could bring in some decent money. I anticipate one or both of our strikers leaving and perhaps even Pepe too so there’s some serious work to do rather than a few patch-ups here and there. When I say a re-build I really do see it as that deep, hence my preference for a top manager who could make the changes and get players to buy into his philosophy.
Afternoon All, thanks for the post Rico.
Allegri has won successive Serie A titles with Milan and Juventus, he’s a top top Coach who I suspect doesn’t really want to go to a club with limited resources and a club that is in need of a massive rebuild. The attraction to Mourinho of Tottenham was that he had a really good squad of players that just needed a new voice, he wouldn’t have been interested in Arsenal either.
We need to go for the best of the up and coming Coaches, someone who’ll evolve into the next Klopp, the next Guardiola, someone we might not be too familiar with, someone who’ll happily work with youngsters, a restricted budget and be prepared to build something.
That’s take courage and knowledge and I’m not sure the people we have in charge have either!
Brendan Rodgers is a safe bet, you know he’ll do a solid job, but is he the next Klopp?
Nagelsmann has been my hope, but I think Bayern will get him and when they do we’ll all be saying why didn’t we get him?
Gallardo has been doing a great job in South America, but the language etc…
I’m not sure about Arteta (sorry guys) and he seems set to take the reins from Pep, or so Pep says – probably to keep him sweet?
Everton could be an option for Arteta, his ex-club…
Freddie will get the rest of this season I reckon, if he can steady the ship, get a few wins and push us back up the table, Brighton is a massive game, we so need 3 points from that game.
Agree re the defence and midfield Adam, but apart from Torreira, imo, we aren’t going to generate much cash. Aubameyang, Lacazette and Guendouzi are the ones who’ll do that imo.
G’day all.
Yesterday we were twice picked off on the counter, this was due to a total lack of discipline by our defenders. The cure, simply put is, if one wingback goes forward the other stays put. At corners if both central defenders are going into the opposition’s penalty box at least one or more pacy players must stay no further forward than the halfway line and, if necessary, take out the attacking player as high up the pitch as possible, if that results in a caution so be it. A little judicious rotation should avoid a second yellow.
None of Sokratis, Mustafi, Luiz or Chambers have the pace to get back quickly enough to defend against a fast counter attack. That’s why we need a fully fit Tierney and a fully fit Bellerin, but most of all we need defensive discipline.
Rocket science it is not.
Rico. I am told that Xhaka is well valued in Germany though. There are, apparently, several clubs who might want him. I think we’re agreed that it’s a big job, which is both good and bad and may or may not appeal to potential managers.
Afternoon all. Rico, another mind bender😀
A new manager? It’s an incredibly difficult decision imo.
I have a worry about our caretaker, despite his popularity as a player and, despite his popularity as choice of current manager. My concerns are about what he has been doing since the summer as first team coach. He must have had a considerable input in the preparation of the players game to game and so has to take his share of the poor performances we have experienced so far this season. That’s not to say he won’t become ‘his own man’ in the next few months and have the ‘Freddie way’ of putting things right. I really hope it’s the latter, nothing would give me and all of us, greater pleasure than see him succeed and subsequently be given the job full time. But, I’m not sure that he will be the man than leads us to nirvana.
Watching us yesterday there was some improvement, I thought, certainly in effort but we didn’t defend well enough to even deserve to win! Imo of course. With the BFG to look up to, ha ha ha, the players at the back might improve their performances over time, but nothing will come easily I don’t think. Listening to Keown last night, it seems the whole defensive unit, including the midfielders, need a very thorough re-education course in, ‘how to defend in the modern age’, because presently they are, to a man, useless at it! They should get Martin back at least for a while, just to drill them into what represents ‘good defending’. And that would begin by excluding turning your back on the ball, as rule number one!
We shall have to wait and see how things pan out but, a win against Brighton would be a really good start, especially as they made us look so poor the last time we met.
Roll on Thursday. You know you can’t beat a bit of Thursday night football😳
Afternoon everyone, read all your posts and was looking for one, or some of you, to name that “Someone” who might be the saviour of our club. Eddie Howe comes to mind for me.
Roy Hodgson reckons he’s done a great job with Bournemouth and he HAS been talked of as manager with “great potential”.
Any collective thoughts on that?
I am NOT discounting Freddie at all, and we must give him the rest of the season at least , to better Emery’s contribution, imo.
Rogers will not leave Leicester (they’re flying high and exciting to watch, and manage) and I really don’t fancy Allegri.
As far as the squad is concerned, Luiz, Xhaka, and Mustafi have to be offloaded. Ooops, sorry I forgot Özil.
Guendouzi needs to be told to stop those silly shirt pulling exercises and, as Scott said right at the start of these comments, close down
the opponents asap. Our “defence” (lol) appears to mark space and not take responsibility for marking the nearest opponent.
I thought that was one of the basic tenets of defensive duties?
Can’t understand why Martinelli isn’t in the forward line from the start? Highly talented, works hard and bursting with youthful energy
– Laca is mis-firing at the moment and we did miss a few chances very early on…..
Good post Rico.
Both Norwich goals were down to our inability to deal with a team breaking on us, or in the modern parlance ‘transition’, our defenders back off but if Luiz steps up then Pukki is offside, but he backs off, Mustafi tries to cover, waves his arm in the air for some inexplicable reason, goes to ground, but is a bit unlucky with the deflection.
Of course our painfully slow midfield couldn’t respond either, but that’s Arsenal in the 2010’s…
We know that Mustafi is suspect, that he plays on the edge of his ability, lacks composure in pressure situations, but to me Luiz is the problem, to me he plays for himself, avoids situations so that nobody notices how crap he is. I’d drop him at the first opportunity.
Since VAR, Sokratis has been unable to do his shithousery, therefore he has to depend on his ability and he’s been badly exposed in that dept this season. His contract ends in the summer and I expect to see him leave.
Holding still hasn’t fully recovered from his injury, it might take awhile until he does as players returning from long term injuries sometimes suffer a series of niggles as they attempt to recapture their previous level, Bellerin and Tierney are still recovering from their own long term absences.
But I wouldn’t write off any of them, although we badly need a strong leader at the back, someone who could replace Sokratis and Luiz, a player like Lewis Dunk or Conor Coady, not sexy names but unfashionable players who could come in and organise things through the strength of their personality as much as their physicality and technique.
As for Nicholas Pepe, let me compare his situation with say Fabinho at Liverpool and Soyuncu at Leicester. Both these players were signed for big money but spent their first year hardly playing at all, both were considered as wastes of money during this period.
Cue changes in personnel and ideas at both clubs and they get into their first teams and become major players, it just takes some players longer to adapt than others.
Afternoon All, thanks Rico.
I listened to Martin Keown last night too Wavy and think we should get him involved. I love the fact he is so incensed by our lack of bottle and defensive nous .
I’m sorry , I know a lot of you on here think Guendouzi is a great player, I.m not so convinced. The times he gets passed by and then he is too slow to chase back. He loses the ball far to much and does like to fall over a lot. He is very young ,I know but at the moment I.m not too impressed……….Considering he thinks he has a warrior spirit…. Well?
Afternoon Wavy, Kev, all again.
Adam, I read we’re interested in a swap with Borussia Mönchengladbach for one of their midfielders for Xhaka. I do think he’d be better suited in a different league to the PL but I still can’t see us getting that much for him.
Hi Andorra and thanks, I like Eddie Howe but I’m not sure he has what it takes to sort the mess we’re in, out. Not sure the Arsenal fans or our big egos at the club would be happy either.
Well said re Pepe Kev.. Given a run, he’ll be fine imo. People forget how Booby P struggled, Henry and even Bergkamp too. Every player is different I know but to already hear him labelled anther Gervinho sounded and still sounds odd to me.
Kev you make some really good points. None of our present central defenders are up to the task. I will give Rob Holding a break because he needs time to get back to his best. All the others are a waste of space. I thought Sokratis was going to be a good buy, he had some bite about him. Now as you say with VAR he can’t grab and push all the time so has been shown up a bit.
If we haven’t got anyone better in our younger teams than this lot, then I pray that we get somebody in after Christmas.
As for Pepe, he can’t just turn crap over night ! I read that Freddie said he didn’t do enough in training…….. That it a bit of a worry.
Hi Mike, thanks, Mavropanos is still a bit of an enigma, I notice that Steve Bould has been playing him regularly in the U23’s or U21’s, whatever.
He seemed to have all the tools to be a dominant centre back, but his career has just stalled after a succession of injuries.
I’d like us to sign a good old English centre back. Someone who cares about the game..
Me too Rico, Like Kev Says . not a sexy name, Just a good old dependable defender who has the personality to organise our defense.
We seem to get a lot of promising players who are injury prone Kev. I wonder if that’s just bad luck.
Mike, I’d look to the Championship..
Leeds at The Emirates in the FA Cup..
Why not Rico, That can be a rough old league to play in. I’m hoping Arsenal have got scouts out looking at the lower leagues. Not just for youngsters, but for good players who deserve a chance to step up.
At least we got a home tie and didn’t get Liverpool or City !
All the strong characters seem to come up from the Championship.
Leeds might fancy their chances Mike.. 😜
Everyone fancies their chances against us at the moment Rico !
Lets hope we give Brighton a bashing and start putting a bit of fear back in the opposition.
As far as young defenders are concerned Mike, we have Medley, who again looks the part but his career has hit the buffers this season and Daniel Ballard who reminds me of a young Tony Adams, all action if you know what I mean, but he suffered a bad injury whilst on loan, and yeah, we are unlucky with injuries.
Also as Adam said, we have the very impressive Saliba
Duck Dodgers from the 24 and half century, not interested, I`m not bothered, always wanted Simeone or Arteta, make it so Kroenkenstein.
The defense !…………….is defending a dieing art ?………….I mean proper defenders like Keown, one`s that are like a rash you cant get rid off. Even full backs are not proper defenders they are wingbacks………..the goalies have to be ball players aswell !
We need the sort who are like a second skin, a defender who is so tight to his opponent that he is like a conjoined twin. We need players who we can give nicknames to, like…The Rash !, The Shadow !, The Desease !, The Tight Fitting Johnny Bag !…………………our current defenders all have the same nickname……….The You`re F##king Shite !
In my day I was so close to my opponent that I would be attached to him when he went for a shit at half time !………yes, I`m a bit non conventional and would usually end up with a restraining order after police were called to the opponents bedroom whilst I filmed him making love to his wife by laying on his back calling for VAR to be used when he was a shade inside !…………….my nickname The Stalker had to be earned !
Get Keown in now to show these twerps how to be aggressive, how to mark and how to get a nickname !
Get Keown in now to show them how to mark and how to be aggressive !
All central defenders Kev and all injured……. Including Saliba . Bloody Hell we are unlucky.
I watched that Koulibaly chap against Liverpool twice, and he looks like a really good defender. If we had someone as good as that I would be over the moon.
Kev, do you watch our youngsters on Arsenal TV ? You know a lot about them,
LCM you do worry me sometimes !!!! I agree about Keown though.
No Mike, I keep up to speed via Jorge Bird and three Twitter accounts I visit for news, there’s also YouTube where you can see some Academy games, Rick is our expert on HH…
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/youngpros/harrison-clarke/
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/youngpros/mark-mcguinness/
The above need updating but these are the best young centre backs coming along behind Medley and Ballard…
Hey Cocker, are you alright? 😄
A defender that can find that balance between aggression and NOT finding a card these days is pure gold.
Plenty of Defenders from past eras wouldn’t last today due to these diving filthbag strikers, so it takes a different animal now to succeed in defence.
Then, today’s strikers would absolutely shit their pants at the thought of going back in time to play the likes of Adams, Sol, Keown etc etc
Different times…..
Hi Scott I agree we definitely need 2 good defenders but as you said finding a good defender is one thing finding a smart defender is another thing all together, I be happy if we could find a defender that stops running backward and holds his ground and take control of the younger players and give them advice on the field.
Freddie should get Santi back for the rest of this year I recon he will lift there spirits on the field and if not just having him around training
Thanks Kev that’s great.
Just a quick note.
From memory, when Emery came in he made comment about out fitness levels and how easy going our training regime was. He then upped the physical demands to get the team fitter……
I wondered last year if that had something to do with our burn out at the end of the season, and I wondered it again at about 70 minutes into the Norwich game.
Great minds Hobart…
Morning all.
New post up now