Four to track. Emery swerves Ramsey as latter should be ditched.

Morning all.

Well did you pretty much sit in front of the television yesterday, watching the Ryder Cup? Yes? Lazy devils. I did my ironing whilst watching the mornings play but in the afternoon, it was just me and the woofa watching Europe fight back. Some of the guys in the galleries made me laugh as they shouted at the European players straight after they teed off. The best had to be after Ian Poulter. ‘Arsenal.’ The worst, ‘Potato.’ Fifty five thousand fans a day will be attending Golfs great rivalry over the next three days, incredible.

Hopefully there’ll be an even bigger crowd at The Emirates later today, certainly a lot more than there was for the Europa League fixture and our League Cup match and there should be for a 3pm Saturday afternoon kickoff.

Unai Emery addressed the media yesterday afternoon and as expected, the future of Aaron Ramsey was the hot topic of conversation. I liked the way he dealt with the question too. None of this ‘I think the player wants to stay, or I think he’ll stay’ etc etc, just a bit fat swerve.

Does he consider Aaron important?

For me, every player is very important with their relation with the team. I consider each player an important space in the squad.

Has he told the board he would like Aaron to stay?

There are three elements, three aspects. One is the player and also the player with their family and representatives. The other is the club and the other is the squad. My focus is always on the team. My focus is preparing with the players and only thinking about the match tomorrow. Each player has individual aspects to work or to do or to speak with the club or with the team, but my aspect for the focus, only to think, is the matches and preparing for the matches and to speak with the players if they are thinking and are very concentrated on work for giving us the best performance and to help the collective performance.

Smart. Ramsey is off I reckon and I wouldn’t play him if he is. Use the squad players, the younger players, anyone but Ramsey. Stick him in the reserves and let that be that. Would we miss him? No, I don’t think so.

He’s had plenty of time to agree a new deal but clearly money is more important than Arsenal FC so use the players who want to be at the club. They are our future, whereas Ramsey is clearly the past. Sounds harsh maybe but he’s allowed his agent to play hardball, so we as a club should do the same.

So, after are victory against Brentford on Wednesday in the League Cup, it’s back to the League. Watford are our next challenge and for once, they sit above us in the table. Surprise eh. They’ve lost just the one match in the league so far with one of their victories being against the Totts. Other than them though, their other matches have all been against clubs further down the table. Even so, they must be full of confidence and ready to give us a good battle for the three points on offer.

We’ve been on a good run too, not so much in terms of playing great football but certainly as far as results go.Two early and consecutive beatings turned into a winning streak and Emery is happy.

Wish he’d explain a bit more about defending to them because that remains our biggest weakness. Perhaps today is the day it all clicks into place. Ozil will move around with a smile on his face as he runs the Waftrord defence ragged, Mkhitaryan will offer more support to Bellerin when he’s under pressure and Xhaka will sit tight, read the game well and dominate the midfield. Mustafi will stay on his feet and not get turned inside out or fall foul of a ball over the top of him. He’ll be strong in the box and get his head to every corner, cross or free kick which comes his way. Better still, he’ll make every ball his.

On a serious note, I’m looking forward to Sokratis v Deeney, that’s if the latter is fit to play, and my money is on our man winning that battle.

I’d like to see us cut out the crosses, not out, theirs. Stop the ball being played into the box and we’ll stop a lot of the danger. Walcott, Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison were allowed too much time and space last Sunday. Thankfully though, they didn’t capitalise on it. Other teams will.

Arsenal need to start quicker too, we’re at home so get at Watford from the off. Move the ball around with pace and meaning. The players need to do the same too. Don’t stand still, move, give a teammate an option and not one which means playing the ball back to the defence. I know sometimes that is the only option but it’s about time we played with a purpose. Nice crisp, accurate and smart passing instead of slow and ponderous stuff which Watford will lap up all day long. Be more decisive defensively, especially Petr Cech.

Pereyra is one of the Watford players to watch out for as he’s been popping up with goals from midfield. Ajayi, Deeney and Gray are their other main goal threat.

Back to the Ryder Cup for me…