Morning all.
Don’t you just love it when the players talk the talk but struggle to walk the walk? No, me neither but then to start walking one has to believe in the person teaching. If one doesn’t believe, there is no way they are letting go of the hand which steadies them as baby steps are taken. Just like having stabilisers on a bicycle really as my motto was ‘they are not coming off until I’m ready’ – and I made sure I was on grass when they did.
It is a season that has a difficult moment, but we have still a lot of time and we need to improve, we need to play better and of course we have the time to do it. We also have the quality to do it,” Sokratis told Arsenal Player.
“When the results are going good, it is of course very good for the team [that the players are all close] because it gives us confidence. “The team needs confidence and calm to show the quality we have. This will give confidence also.”
“I think we can get [into the top four] because if we find one or two games where we can play very good and have a good result, after the team will take confidence and after that we have the quality. The quality is here but I think we need confidence.”
Sokratis is right of course but we’ve known that this group of players has little to no confidence for a while now. The collapse towards the end of last season must have knocked the stuffing out of them as we missed out on top four by the finest of margins but the real damage was done in the Europa Cup Final when a pretty average Chelsea team gave us a second half spanking. Then of course the players went their separate ways for the summer. That performance would have ruined my summer break if I’d have been part of it and as much as we believe players these days don’t care, they must do, even if it might be in different ways to you and I.
The only way for the players to gain confidence is by playing well and winning matches but to win matches, they need confidence. Not rocket science I know but a vicious circle for sure. A circle we need to break but how? By addressing the problems on the training pitch is one way or just burying heads in the sand and hope in the meantime the problems on match-day sort themselves out on their own.
Or change the coach again. We’ve seen Arsenal change before but more so at other clubs who switch managers as often as day turns to night. I’d hate for us to become one of those clubs but it could happen if the next appointment the club makes doesn’t work out. As many of us have said before, any player/managerial signing carries an element of risk but that’s why blokes like Raul, Edu and co are in a job. To do their homework well and appoint the person who ticks all the boxes, or very near to it. The big box Unai Emery ticked was winning the Europa Cup on a tight budget. In hindsight though, the collapse of PSG against Barcelona in the Champions League second leg tie should have sent out a warning. His comments about rather winning a match 5-4 than 1-0 should have too although to be fair, the latter came after he’d been confirmed as the new Arsenal head coach.
To be fair to Emery though, with the strike force he has at his disposal, we should be scoring a lot more goals than we are. I truly believe that Aubameyang, Lacazette, Pepe, Martinelli are up there with the best in the league, if not the best. On paper. But behind them, we’re all over the place. We’re disorganised, disjointed, undisciplined and quite frankly, a bit of a mess. Confidence will only return by being competent. Believing in what you are doing and what those around you are doing too. If these players don’t believe, it’ll matter not whether Unai Emery has eight games or eighty, our performances are very unlikely to improve. And of course, the longer this poor spell runs, the lower the confidence will drop.
Equally though, if all the talk turns into a sprint on Saturday, a little ray of hope might shine bright. The two week break might have done everyone the world of good. Those who’ve been away on international duty might have experienced victory again, scored goals or simply had a really good couple of games and return with a spring in their step, ready to fight the good fight in order to save Emery from the chop.
I know, I think it’s highly unlikely too but where there’s hope, well, there’s hope and that’s pretty much all I have left…
That’s today’s ramble over…
Morning Rico, and all you supporters.
I was going to say, fans, but the stuff we’re currently serving up isn’t going to create a fan club, is it?
Confidence. Now there’s a word – well, I looked it up: Trust, Belief, Conviction, Reliance etc.
Surely, SELF confidence comes about through experiences of mastering specific activities? Well we’re not mastering our defences and so I wonder if the forwards, who score the goals – 5 against Liverpool (for example) – lose heart because our useless defenders aren’t up to the job.
If I was Auba, Laca etc I’d be looking for another club!
Another good post Rico.
Morning Andorra, thanks.
Sokratis is right in what he says though, finding the confidence is the tricky part but I think we all know what might change that. If a loss and bad game on Saturday would guarantee a change, then sadly, I’d take it.
G’day Rico a thought provoking post thank you.
Personally I’d put determination before confidence. Determination to fight for ninety minutes. Determination to win every ball. Determination to put that ball in the net. Determination not to be dominated. Determination to be the best you can.
Afternoon Rico.Great ramble thanks ! Hi all.
As bad as it sounds Rico I’m with you. If a loss means change then bring it on.
Even if the players have gained a bit of self confidence playing for their countries I worry that when they get back to Arsenal and listen to Emery and his tactics, that confidence just wains away. I think like us they have lost confidence and respect for and in the manager.
Cicero, I would love us to have the Determination and fight you are asking for. Sadly though we have very few players who have any grit about them at the moment. Tierney and Gabbi show the rest of the team up in the determination stakes in my opinion.
Hi Cicero and Mike.
Call it fight, determination, confidence, whatever we like but we haven’t got much of it. We did though last season, and imo, that’s what took us on the good run of results even though the football was far from organised.
But it ran out after the Emery honeymoon period was over…
I see that Xhaka has been pouring more petrol on the fire…
We need to move him on asap.
But we need to get a realistic price as well…
What’s he been up to Kev?
Apparently Emery is ready to play him again…
Nice one Rico.
Most people on this site have stabilisers on their Zimmer Frames, a bike is a distant memory for them . The women around here need stabilizers to stop them fainting at the sight of my six pack !
😆
Just watched Unai’s press conference……… Is it me or was it a lot less painful to watch and listen to than usual?
Maybe he’s been working on his English.
Looks like he may be thinking of playing Xhaka again soon Rico.
Speak for yourself Lc. Lol
I read it Mike, still didn’t make much sense…
Thanks Rico,
I hate when players come out with these platitudes – even if what they say is right,just do your talking on the pitch please
It always seemed to be the same players who got the spokesman job back in the day,Djourou or Theo Walcott,more recently Mertesacker.The whole thing of players speaking out seemed to stop with Emery at first, like everything else it was just an illusion.
I see he is threatening to play Xhaka on Saturday, maybe he wants to get the sack..hang on not such a bad idea
Ditto Limey, words are cheap when the chips are down..
A good win for Arsenal Women 7 – 0 at home to Bristol City. But MU Women beat Leicester 11 – 1.
On that note good night to you all. 😴
Hi All question what would the fans yell at the match if Xhaka played and scored the winning goal or score a hat trick and we win 3 nil
Sorry?
Hi Cicero well put about Determination it’s some thing our players lack in
Just having a feed with a gent who trialled with the Arsenal as a kid, and was coached by Alan Skirton.
Morning all.
Sharing breakfast Scott? Lol
New post up now