Morning all.
It seems Unai Emery has caused a bit of a stir among Arsenal fans it seems. Certainly if a few NN headlines are to believed. Asked whether Liverpool could emulate our 2003/04 unbeaten season, he said yes.
“They can do that because they are doing it at the moment.”
What else could he say? Of course it’s possible because they are currently unbeaten but we’re just half way through the season. What can be done and what has been done when the season ends are two completely different things though. What would be great is if we put a stop that possibility tomorrow evening. An enormous ask but not impossible.Then Liverpool go to The Etihad to face a Man City side desperate to get their league title defence back on track so nothing is guaranteed just yet. Yes, Liverpool are the in team right now but I’m sure a few other clubs will have a lot to say about where the Premier League trophy ends up at the end of the season.
Not so long ago I wrote about how I believe the progress Liverpool has made is what we ourselves should kind of compare our own situation to. Like us, they’re owned by an American who doesn’t throw good money after bad. Not really, in fact I’m not entirely convinced he throws any of his money around at all because if you compare their spending to ours, there are similarities to be drawn. As said yesterday, the sale of Coutinho gave them a big financial boost and that money was clearly reinvested in the team. They returned to the Champions League, we dropped out of it. More money in for them, none for us.
We had a chance to sell Alexis Sanchez to Man City for £60 million but said no. Big mistake but then looking back over the years, even when we did sell our best players, the club pretty much gave them away on the cheap. Now though, we don’t have players to sell for a big transfer fee because they’re either too old or just not worth big money. I don’t think any of are younger players are in demand either, not just yet anyway but then if they’re that good, why would we sell them anyway? We shouldn’t, simple as that.
Since the end of the 2016/17 season, Liverpool has spent around £315m on new players. Andy Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Keita, Shaqiri, and Becker. Around £150m of that money came from the sale of Coutinho which makes their net spending around £165m although there are conflicting reports which suggest it’s more like £140m. During the same time frame, Arsenal’s net spending is recorded as being £157m. (The Mirror/Forbes)
The transfer market is similar to the property market in my opinion. A home owner might get overly excited when the house they bought five years ago for £350,000 has just been valued at £495,000 but the reality is, if that person wants to move, the price for the house they want is going to have increased during that five years too. The only way they’ll make a profit is by downsizing or moving to a location where houses are usually cheaper.
That’s how football clubs often run, apart from the odd few that is. Buy cheap, sell for a profit. It’s called good business and sadly, that’s what football is now, a business. Our club is suffering financially because of bad business done in the past. Signing players who might not have cost much money individually but when you add it all up including wages, it looks bad. Keeping players who weren’t good enough was bad enough but then to reward them with new contracts was simply bonkers. I’d love to have the time, and the inclination for that matter to sit down and work out how much money the club spent on players we didn’t even get to see play over the last twenty two years. Three from Asia immediately pop into my mind. Admittedly, there were a few we sold for more than we paid for them initially but for the majority, they’d been paid a hefty wage for little in return for a vast number of years.
Hopefully though, those days are over. Unai Emery had little choice but to opt for experience last summer. He had to bring in some toughness to try and steady the ship and in the main I think he’s done that.
In just a few days time, we enter phase two of his managerial career at Arsenal. His second transfer window and although I’m sure we’d love to see him add a couple of defenders, a winger or two, a creative and defensive midfielder, a left and right back and a goalkeeper, it’s just not going to happen. Not in my opinion anyway. I think he’ll get a central defender at least. Especially having seen what impact losing both Mustafi and Holding has had. The knock on affect too has hardly helped our cause. Hopefully he’ll add one, maybe two more and early in January too.
Unai Emery continued to discuss Liverpool and their progress during his press conference, only because of tomorrow’s fixture no doubt.
“The progression with Liverpool is clear. Three years ago, they were out of the Champions League through the Premier League and through the Europa League, because they lost against us [at Sevilla].
“This progress is also one example for us, now, in our moment. But we need to be very, very demanding of ourselves to do this step quickly in our way. But we need also time, and sometimes the patience is very important for us.”
Klopp has taken three years to improve his team, three years to get the right balance in his team. They haven’t won anything yet but I doubt it’ll be long before they do and trust me, it’s painful for me to write that. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and say, ‘boy they’re good’ and Liverpool are.
There’s nothing stopping us from following their example, nothing at all.
Back to my property analogy. Sometimes you can get lucky. The house you really want around the corner is up for sale at a lesser price, it just needs some work doing on it. You’re a builder so you can do it yourself.
Just like signing a footballer for less money. He might still be a bit raw but the foundation is firmly in place. You’re a top football coach so you know you can do the work which is needed yourself.
Isn’t that why we have Sven?
PS. I had a dream last night. We won, 1-0.
Have a good Friday guys..
Morning all. I’m really terrified about the game on saturday. I will be going to Hamburg to celebrate new years eve there and I have the opportunity to watch the game on my phone but I think i’m better off without.. I agree with Emery. They are unbeaten so far and I must say, I wasn’t even as impressed with City last year as I am with Liverpool this year. They have so many good players, because Klopp has know exactly who to buy and wasn’t afraid to spend the cash for it..
I’m really hoping for a good result but I won’t be holding my breath..
Adk. Emery will find out even more about his players tomorrow evening. He needs to imo.
Hello everyone from a very sunny Pyrenees.
IF we could demonstrate the same desire as against Spurs in the league, tonight against Liverpool, then I would be quite confident of a decent result.
However, too many injuries and below par recent performances has left me feeling rather nervous.
I’ll watch the game on the box tonight and just hope we put up a serious fight and engage our forwards who have the ability to score goals but it’s those guys at the back that leave me troubled……….
Fingers crossed and hope your dream comes true Rico.
I’m hoping Mustafi might make his comeback tomorrow Andorra, and Bellerin but perhaps that was part of my dream too.
If Xhaka plays in defence, I thin’ well get beaten. Lichtsteiner v Sane worries me too..
Ooops, typo “tonight”…..tomorrow night…
Lichtsteiner was sloppy with his header but, it happens occasionally…….
Perhaps Emery should take a punt with one of the youngsters who has impressed in recent weeks.
The shame is he won’t be on the touchline
Afternoon Gooners
Afternoon Rico.
Peter Hill Wood has died at 82, end of an era I guess…
I worry about Lichtsteiner lack of pace…
Afternoon Kev. That’s very sad news..
Hey Rico, I had a dream last night, I was on a walking holiday in Switzerland and I met Johan Cruyff, what does it all mean? 😀
Wenger unfortunately wasted a lot of money towards the tail end of his reign, contracts to players who were past it, gambles on low grade signings trying to find another Anelka or Vieira.
Selling players in the last year of their contracts instead of forcing their hand with 2 years left.
Letting Fabregas join Barcelona for a stupidly low fee, releasing Nasri and RVP in their final years, it was serious mismanagement and Kroenke is to blame because he allowed it as did our Board before the American arrived.
But that’s gone and hopefully we’ve learnt, but I still have my doubts about the new guys.
Only their actions will really tell us if we’re in safe hands or not…
Very sad to hear of the death of former chairman Peter Hill-Wood. Under his stewardship Arsenal won five league titles, five FA Cups, the League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup. That’s not a bad legacy to leave behind. My condolences go to his family and friends.
I don’t think that Emery has been banned yet, I actually think he’s done well to hold it together during this period where we’ve suffered so many injuries, some players could do more and are hiding, some are playing more games than anticipated and are struggling, some have bodies that are just giving up on them, many are experiencing their first English winter and are looking exhausted in a period when they used to be resting, some are losing confidence, others are off form, whilst to some it’s all too much, that’s what an English Christmas and New Year programme does to you…
It’s also the first time Emery has lived through this and he must be wondering what has hit him.
We’re mad in this country, we flog our players to death and then moan about them – and if anybody complains about Emery then they really aren’t being realistic.
Emery replaces an icon who controlled everything for 22 years and keeps us competitive, I mean take a breath and think about folks….
I agree Kev, right back to the deal we did with Barcelona for Petit and Overmars. Gilberto left for nothing too. So many really bad deals done..
I actually think Emery is doing a good job considering what he inherited and just the one transfer window. The biggest thing we lacked was attitude and fight and that’s certainly changed.
As said, it’s phase two as he now has another transfer window but he still needs 3/4 more to build his squad…
Emery inherited a very good squad.
Not a great one, but a very good one.
For the poor signings, we’ve had ole ty of rippers and let’s not ignore the fact that every manager has failures-some a hell of a lot more expensive and spectacular than we’ve endured.
Emery has brought energy and fight to the club, and in time, I’m sure he will bring his players in.
If they go on to win titles, Cup finals etc etc we can speak of him in the same way we should Wenger.
The constant comparisons to his predecessor is fair on neither man, imo.
Emery has until Wednesday to respond to the charge, so no ban at Anfield.
Afternoon Rico. I have to say that I have cooled considerably on Emery after an initial burst of enthusiasm. Let’s see how he does in the TW and subsequent games though.
Good, I’d miss his injection of enthusiasm on the sidelines Cicero.
Scott, I’m not sure he inherited ‘a very good squad’ at all if I’m honest, an unbalanced squad yes, a squad with a lot of players on contracts running down for sure, a squad that seemed unfit, a squad lacking leaders, a squad just going through the motions – and that reappeared at Brighton.
Maybe it’s the modern day footballer, how do you continually motivate millionaires?
I’m sure that Liverpool fans had doubts over Klopp, if I recall when listening to phone ins I’m sure some wanted him out until this season and if Liverpool ultimately fail to win the EPL those same fans that are bugging him up now will be slagging him off, that’s the modern day fan, we want it to be perfect, we want success here and now, it’s a lot different to what it used to be Digger.
I agree with Adam, this January is crucial, I only hope that those above Emery give him the financial backing he wants/needs and don’t go for short termism…
Scott I don’t think Emery inherited a “very good squad”, From back to front too many players were in, or about to enter, the twilight of their careers and others were just marking time until they could find another club willing to pay their inflated wage demands. Cech, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Wilshire, Walcott and Welbeck. We also had Mkhitaryan who I’m sure wasn’t on Wenger’s wish list until United came calling, for Sanchez, and dangled the Armenian in front of him.
Weak defensively, ineffective in midfield and reliant on Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ozil up front. On top of that the coaching was abysmal, the spirit non-existent.
The new regime has brought in some much needed reinforcements and done much to improve the training and attitude, Leno has had to cope with a fractured defensive system in the face of injuries, suspensions and a pick-and-mix back four/three. so I would neither criticise him nor write him off just yet.
Emery has had half a season to evaluate the squad and to see how they react to the changes in formation and training methods. So far the only failure seems to be with Ozil, he just doesn’t fit the into the new all action pressing game, sad to say I don’t think he ever will.
Nice dream, Rico.
Cicero, to these titles, we have to add those in which we were finalists of the Cups and the positions in the Championship up to the 4th place (included), which happened to be, from a few years to this part, a place of merit. They are not titles, but they are all places of merit.
Liverpool is in the top position but for me, the best team at the moment are the Totts.
Unfortunately, we no longer have Cazorla in good health. No one would remember Ozil …
News: There are a number of clubs trying to buyt Militão (F.C. Porto). United and Liverpool are two of them (others are Barcelona, Juventus, Roma …). It is a fast central defense, not high, and cuts well. In 2019 will be in the main selection of Brazil. He played in the youth teams of Brazil and comes from S. Paulo. He can also play in the right.
I think it’s not wingers we need, it’s defenses. Full and central. With a defense that gives confidence and security, the players of the midfield and the attack, gain more confidence and the goalkeeper as well. They think more about the game and the game, because they know and trust the back.
Afternoon Adam, I can understand why. I’m reserving total judgement for a while yet…
Me neither re the inherited a very good squad.
If it comes true Jm, it’ll be brilliant. Lol
I quite fancied the look of Ozil’s house back in 2010 rico but got no real interest in the one he’s living in now !
Looks like Aubameyang had a good Christmas, arrived for training in his brand new gold plated Lamborghini jeep this week, he must fancy his chances of winning the golden boot this season.
Wish he’d find one in Turkey or Spain Micko…
Turkey or in China.
coul be the solution for Fenerbache !
Why we not try Koumbaly (Naples) quickly? He could play central and full back, his good and sure not want more to play in Italy. A new Sagna…from Senegal
We might yet Jm, the transfer window isn’t open yet… lol
Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird 4h
Mustafi in full training.
Sheaf, Medley, Saka, Willock and Nketiah trained with first-team
Guys, if the squad was so average, was Wenger doing a decent job of managing them?
We can’t have it both ways.
Very good isn’t great, but we finished nearer the top of the League than the bottom, so it couldn’t have been too bad.
Kev, fans-fickle?
Damn straight.
It’s the way of the world, nowadays.
Just to add, how many of our players do brilliantly well for the national sides, yet aren’t “good enough” for Arsenal, according to many fans?
Ramsey.
Ozil.
Koscielny.
Xhaka.
The list goes on.
No Ozil for Liverpool tomorrow and Kolasinac out as well. Kola has a knock but Ozil hasn’t travelled.So looks like taxi time Kev.
Potter, best for all that Ozil goes.
He isn’t working out, Emery isn’t using him, but that 300k wage is hard to get around.
I think with just one away win in 2018 Scott, I wouldn’t say Wenger managed the team very well at all.
We may have finished fifth, but we were dreadful. Those behind us were worse but compare us to those above rather than those below would be my suggestion.
Rico, but that’s my point-he didn’t, but the decent quality in the squad got us to where we finished.
Emery didn’t exactly have to rebuild an old or useless squad as it was of decent age and definitely had plenty of quality.
Some deadwood, but what clubs apart from Citeh and the like don’t have those?
Scott, I guess that depends on who we as individuals believe are good or very good players. I personally don’t see many very good players in our squad. Good yes, but that’s about it…
Also, I believe Emery has to build a much better squad but that will hopefully come with time and transfer windows. He couldn’t do it in one summer. Even Pep couldn’t do that with a bottomless pit.
Potter, I’m hearing a knee injury for Ozil although that might be a political statement because as with Arsene Wenger before him, Mesut Ozil has a populist support and Twitter will be awash with pseudo outrage as usual, yawn….
To be honest I find the whole Twitter phenomenon a complete bore…
More worrying is the possible absence of Kolasinac, so wtf is Emery supposed to do about that as another defender become available? We don’t have the players to play like Stoke even if we wanted to…
Arsene Wenger took charge of an Arsenal team at Anfield, for a Premier League game, a total of 21 occasions, in his almost 22 years in charge.
His best result was a 2-0 win in 2012 – but his Arsenal teams only managed to keep a clean sheet twice during his entire time in charge.
Arsenal lost 4-0 in 1998, 4-0 in 2000, 4-1 in 2007, 5-1 in 2014 and 4-0 in his last visit in 2017.
There was a 4-4 draw in 2009 and a 3-3 draw in 2016.
Arsenal’s best run of Premier League results under Arsene Wenger was between:
2007 and 2012, with a run of 6 games unbeaten, 3 wins and 3 draws.
Arsenal haven’t won up there since 2012.
Wenger’s Premier League record @ Anfield is:
P21, W5, D7, L9, F27, A46…
Kev, every club wants their home to be a fortress, so I’d say Wengers record there is better than most managers.
Rico, I can’t see any manager building a squad that truly contends whilst Stan is our manager.
Time will tell, but even this early, it doesn’t seem Emery is being given decent money to spend.
We will continue to sell before we can buy.
I don’t support that theory though Scott, especially as we signed Aubameyang for £60m, Lacazette for £50m etc etc. Not many City, if any City players cost more than Aubameyang.
Liverpool are competing, they aren’t funded by a rich owner, nor Totts who are competing. I really don’t see where Kroenke fits in to any debate really, not now Wenger has gone.
New post up now.