Morning all.
We’re half way through this international break, not quite for Arsenal though as it’s Monday night football for us but maybe by the time our match kicks off, both Utd and Toots will have dropped more points.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scooped the September player of month award a couple of days ago. Excellent. I can’t remember the last time an Arsenal player was awarded that little trophy. No surprise that Klopp won the managers award. Maybe October will be Unai Emery’s month. I’m sure we’d all love to see that.
Raul Sanllehi has been talking to the fans this week, the two key issues surrounding Unai Emery’s team selection, or rather Mesut Ozil and our seasons objective.
Raul :
‘We said to Unai that we just missed out on qualifying for the CL last year, but this year with a stronger squad, we expect you to do that.’
‘Unai’s policy has always been to play the ones that work hard in training.’
As Josh Kroenke said back in the summer, we’re a Europa League Club being run on a Champions League budget which is why securing a top four spot really is a must. Winning the Europa League itself is another possibility of course but as we found out in May, that’s not easy.
In all fairness, if Unai Emery can’t achieve a top four spot this season then in my opinion, he never will. Utd and Toots are all over the shop and if things stay that way, it’ll be us, Leicester and no doubt Chelsea battling it out for the two places behind Liverpool and City. What we should be aiming for though is second spot seeing how the league looks right now. I kind of get the impression that if we don’t return to Champions League football next season, someone different will be tasked with that challenge next time aro7nd.
As for Emery’s team selection, well I think Raul is right to publicly defend him because ultimately, any manager lives or dies by the footballing sword on performances and results so why should anyone but Emery select who he thinks will do well for the team. We may not agree with some of his team selections etc, but it’s not our job on the line.
I’m bored to tears with the Mesut Ozil saga, and the best thing we and the club can do, which Emery clearly is, is focus on the players of the future. Players like Willock, Nelson, AMN, Martinez, Martinelli, Saka, Holding, Bellerin, Tierney, Leno, Chambers, Guendouzi, Torreira and others coming through the academy. Hopefully Ceballos too if Arsenal can convince him that north London is a better place to be than Madrid. Not that he’ll need much convincing if what he’s been saying recently is anything to go by as he’s loving life at Arsenal. He certainly looks to be happy on the pitch.
There are footballers who seem to think it’s below them to play in the Europa League or League Cup because they’re better than that yet having watched our matches in both competitions so far this season, there looks to be a real togetherness amongst the players. A buzz, a joy. They’re doing well which helps of course but even so, they certainly appear to be enjoying themselves.
Isn’t that how it should be rather than sulking, moaning at the officials every time something doesn’t go our way, worse still, moaning at each other when something hasn’t gone right. Footballers, and sports people in general, don’t make mistakes on purpose. Learning from them is the most important thing and not repeating them.
If a few of our ‘first team’ players could manage to do that then perhaps the our League campaign might run a bit smoother. We might even get to see a smile break out on Sokratis face…
‘til another day…
What a good post, I agree with everything you say, especially about Ozil, I do hope that he now gets a good loan to a club he will play at & be happy at, & we at Arsenal can concentrate on our new exciting players. I will be sad that I won’t see him play again at Arsenal, but no player is bigger that the Club, & if Emery doesn’t want him then best that he goes. I have said goodbye to LOADS of players that I have liked & not wanted to leave over the years. So hopefully this saga will now end soon. We will still have to pay a large chunk of his wages , but we just have to accept that & move on & not keep moaning about it.
Europa league income with Champions league spending is a recipe for disaster . Only two ways to rectify it , increase your income or reduce the overheads.
Emery has been given his orders he has to either get into the top competition or pare his squad and lose the high earners or a bit of both .
Inevitably it means that the future lies with the players coming through from the youth system possibly supplemented by a couple of inspiring purchases.
It makes for exciting times for the kids coming through below the ones we already know of , their job will not be to replace Ozil or Aubameyang but to push Willock , Nketiah , Martinelli to one side.
THis is the old Ajax system that spawned Cruyff and Bergkamp and many others , I can’t wait to see how it pans out.
Thanks Sohara.
If the stories in the newspapers are true, Ozil has put his house up for sale. Regardless of what Emery thinks of him though, perhaps the incident he was involved in has had an impact on his game and life in England in general. His family too.
Neither can I Potter. Ajax are doing it again now but their problem is keeping those who are good but then again, the vast amounts of money coming in from sales keeps their footballing world going round..
At some stage, I think Arsenal will be put to the test with big offers for our own players.
Morning Rico, thanks for the post.
Ozil’s house up for sale?
I’ll believe it when it happens.
Always a good rumour though.
You know, Messi is house hunting in Hampstead etc etc. 😉
Fenerbahce in January seems a strong possibility for Ozil, he seems to be a fan as he’s never been linked the Galatasaray or Besiktas, although it will all depend on how much of his salary they’re prepared to pick up Rico?
And will they be expected to pay a loan fee?
I would imagine that Turkish business could sponsor him, Turkish Airlines or whoever?
A January loan for Ozil may be the best thing for both club and player. Emery either can’t or won’t find a way to use Ozil, nor to motivate him. Who knows what the future holds for them both, miss out on top four and Emery could be sacked in July. A new man may have a different view of Ozil or a different way of handling him.
Personally, I would be sorry to lose such a talent as Ozil despite his excessive wages.
Morning Kev, I did have a smile when I read that about his house. Perhaps like me, he just fancies a move.
I don’t think the club has any choice but to pay some of his wages Kev, not if they want him gone on loan. Such a waste of a great talent..
Afternoon all.
I’m sure Erdogan will stump up the cash. He’s a Fenerbahce supporter. He could nick off with a bit of his ‘get the Kurds’ war chest!
Ozil’s only refuge presently seems to be Turkey. Rather him than me!
Good piece Rico. I’m sure you are right about Emery’s future. Top four he gets another year, top six or seven, he’s back on the dole.
You have to wonder why any of our rising stars would want to be poached by larger clubs who seem to be terminally in decline. Manure, crap! Real, no longer the real deal. Barca, no Messi, no success. Etc etc. At least the Arsenal have a small hill to climb but they seem to have developed some much needed ambition.
Hopefully, they will win a bit of silverware along the way whilst challenging for the top spot.
This year is our very best chance of getting back into the CL, with the players we have & the teams around us in disarray , it would be a disaster to not make it this year, & Emery knows that. Horrible rumours today about lacazette being sold or wanting to leave, I just hope these are not true. Although Emery does not seem to like him that much either, he is rarely in the starting 11 I notice, & gets brought on as a sub, I also have a feeling he is not too keen on Torriera either , but nothing concrete just a ‘feeling’ …and now Saka has come out & said that he cannot understand what Emery is telling him & he goes to Freddie for coaching…..OOOH hope that won’t retard his progress , I know he is still in the academy dressing room & not in the first team dressing room , But I have seen Freddie coaching Saka during breaks of play several times now & Emery does not seem to mind him doing that .
Thanks Wavy. I think that would be fair too and I hope he gets top four.
By playing much better football I hasten to add.
International football is a big fat yawn…..
There’s always Celebrity X Factor instead Rico… 😄
Martin Bashir was outstanding yesterday evening… 😁
Watching athletics Kev, incredible stuff.
Rugby is even better, Japan beating Scotland in a fantastic game. Arsenal Women one nil up away to Chelsea at half-time, live on BT Sport 1.
Ladies lost 2-1 and spent the second half imitating the men’s first team. They were, frankly awful. They couldn’t string two passes together and insisted on playing out from the back despite never getting into the opponents half more than once, they were sacked time and time again. Unbelievable! One of the most inept performances Ive watched from them. And they lost they’re now 3 points behind Man Citeh. Playing as poorly as they did yesterday will ensure they don’t retain the WSL title.