Morning all.
Well that was a disappointment but let’s be honest, Man City were the worst side we could have come up against on the opening day of the season, even if Pep didn’t have every player available to him. He’s had two seasons now with Man City, most of his players have been under his leadership for at least one of those.
Arsenal on the other hand are still learning, both left backs were injured and Unai Emery has had just the one transfer window to work with. New ideas are still being learned, new players are having to adjust to not only playing in a different country but a different league and as far as yesterday goes, playing a side which is probably the best the league has seen since the late nineties and early noughties when we were at our prime under Arsene Wenger.
I think it would be harsh to be overly critical of any of our new players after just one match, just as I think it’d be rotten to single out Ainsley Maitland-Niles who not only played out of his natural position but wasn’t really given much support from his teammate ahead of him. Yes he struggled but then the experienced Hector Bellerin did fare much better on the other side either.
The players who disappointed me were the likes of Ozil, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan and even Aubameyang and Lacazette at times as chances fell to them which they really should be taking. Xhaka was just Xhaka. Oliver disappointed too as he really failed to be fair from start to finish. He missed a few decisions which could, no, should have gone our way with a penalty being the the most obvious. I know we can’t live on ifs and buts but there’s a big If in there, if we’d have been awarded the penalty we deserved, and converted it of course.
As said though, it’s early days under Unai Emery and imo, perhaps only Liverpool and maybe Chelsea will cause us the kind of problems City did yesterday.
We didn’t get a good hiding though like we did last season and as much as City had a lot of the possession at times, we did too and it wasn’t until they got their second that the battle was over but even then we didn’t give up, we had chances but blew them.
I thought Petr Cech had a mixed game. I doubt he’ll be happy about their first, nor the second as far as the defending goes but in between, he prevented us from conceding a few more. He frightened the life out of me though on several occasions when faffing around with the ball at his feet at the same time a City player was trying to close him down. Not sure playing out from the back is his thing. Do I dare mention his one major moment of madness…
Anyway, I don’t see the point in throwing my toys out of pram after just one match against the best team in the league by a country mile. Arsenal under Emery are a work in progress, he can’t be expected to work miracles overnight.
There’s hard work to be done this week though, that’s for sure.
After the match, Unai Emery faced the media and this full transcript is from the clubs official website:
on his verdict after his first game…
First, it’s a good ambience here with our supporters and also with a big motivation for us to start watching the squad and also we wanted to start today, here in the first match, with our supporters. Today, Manchester City’s performance showed us that we need to continue in our process to improve. I think they deserved this result, but we were improving in the 90 minutes, like I think we need to do for the next week and the next match on the pitch. In the second half, it’s the moment that maybe we had chances to get a better result.
on the players’ application of his ideas…
Today, Manchester City demanded our best performance. Today we watched and we need to continue working. I am happy with the players because they ran and they fought. We need to continue working tactically and defensively, and doing more to shorten the differences today between Manchester City and us.
on this game being a barometer of what progress is needed…
Yes. But we know this. We’re starting and we need also to do one process one way. Today is the first step. Manchester City are working in their third year with Guardiola and they have built a team with security, good players and a great stability of playing like they want. We are only starting out now.
on not picking Bernd Leno…
We want the competition between the goalkeepers and also every player in the squad. Despite the position, it is the same opportunity and the same chances for all the goalkeepers. We spoke also and Petr Cech, he is doing very well. Today as well, I think he played well also. He has this experience for continuing to defend our goal. Also, Leno is starting with us. He is working very well, he played well in pre-season too but he has to wait for his chance to arrive.
on the first goal being reminiscent of the old Arsenal…
It’s two different halves, the first and the second half, for me. The first half, we conceded more space on the pitch for Manchester City to progress. They deal very well with these situations and because they know that, they have confidence in their performance. In the second half, we took more risks with our pressing, took more risks with the ball to break their lines and go forward quickly. We wanted to create a goal so that we could get back into the game. I want to continue the process to build our team. I think we finished with the spirit I want and the team, for 90 minutes, they ran, they tried and they pushed. But I think we need to improve collectively and also individually. But I think this process is normal today against a great team like Manchester City.
on facing Chelsea next week and how we avoid having our press broken…
Each match is different. We want to prepare for each match with the difficulty and demands of the opposition. But today, I think the team in more time, we are playing with this personality and we need to improve this personality with better performances on the pitch. In the next week we are continuing this work and against Chelsea we are going to analyse the opposition. We are going there to win, with this intention against Chelsea.
on Ainsley Maitland-Niles…
Today we are going to do the medical analysis with the doctor. Nacho is starting with the group, working yesterday and maybe he can come in, maybe, for the next match. I think every day is important to know how they are.
Have a good Monday guys..
No pace or width window shut
Good morning Rico and everyone, it was a great game for me… I feel emery is giving the players, I mean the Wenger players the chance to prove themselves… I’m sure by now he will be thinking of shutting some players out totally… I also love the fact that Emery was able to read the game and make decisive changes, if it was Wenger Xhaka and Ramsey would’ve stayed on.lPlayers like Xhaka, Ramsey, Bellerin shouldn’t be starters for arsenal, I don’t see them making the first 11 of any serious team… Our best midfielder are Torriera and Matteo, it was obvious yesterday and I expect both of them to start against chelsea… I believe we will beat Chelsea next week, you guys can criticize me if we don’t..
If we were under the impression that once Wenger had gone all we needed was a quick fix then that was blown up yesterday . One of the benefits is that we won’t be playing City again this side of Christmas. Accepting that they may well be the best team we will face this season our level will be clearer after Chelsea and West Ham .
Yesterday we were light years behind them they were better all over the pitch and off of it too.
Emery needs days like that to learn and we need to have them too so that we can assess whether he can sort it and to lower the expectation of a sudden ressurgence .
I think the Wenger years should be remembered for the euphoria of the early part but tempered with the realisation that the second part was a gradual spiral of decline. Yesterday we saw just how far that spiral has taken us.
( posted on the last thread )
Morning Mexzy, all.
I reckon he is too Mexzy and to be fair, most managers do when they take over. He needs to see if they really are average or can be improved with better coaching before losing money by selling and spending on replacements.
Chelsea are in a similar situation to us, new manager, new ideas and I know they won at the weekend but it was against Huddersfield.
Agree 100% Potter.
I knew Wenger had left a mess, but yesterday showed just how big that mess was/is. I’ve already written off this season, the next ten months and summer 2019 are about the rebuild and only after then will we see vast improvement if it’s coming.
Morning Rico and All, I can’t help it, but I find it difficult to listen to Emery’s pressers, credit for him for learning a new language on the job but his interviews irritate me. I prefer to read what he says.
Man City have shown vs Chelsea and us that they are not just the next level up but two or three levels. Emery has a long long job ahead of him, but we knew that and we have to dig deep into our reserves of patience, because this is going to take a long time to sorti out.
I do not agree with those that say that Wenger left Emery a great squad because Wenger left a dysfunctional squad full of players with questionable temperaments and mentalities.
I mean, if you had a blank piece of paper, and you wrote down an XI on it that you thought would be really great at playing the press, would you write Mkhitaryan on it, would you write Ozil and Aubameyang or Xhaka on it, because I wouldn’t..?
But because of the players that have been bequeathed by Wenger to the new coach, it leaves Emery having to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
If Wenger had still been in charge I think that we would have been smashed, probably in front of a 40,000 crowd. Kroenke has escaped a lot of criticism in recent years as Wenger has been his shield, but it was Kroenke at fault for the state of the playing staff is as it is now because it was Kroenke who allowed Wenger to stay at least 4 years longer than he should have stayed.
Morning all and thanks Rico.
Lucky we were up against a fatigued City otherwise it could have a cricket score. 🙂
Sounds to me like some are blaming Wenger for the loss ! 😆
I go with Fat Sam…………………..City are along with Bindippers ( and Spuds) the best sides at pressing, so for all Dick`s obsession for watching teams strengths and weaknesses on video, he still thought it best to try and play out from the back against the best pressing team !………………..I maybe no Pep, but common sense tells me at some time when being overrun to hoof the ball forward into the opponents half and then press them !……………….so I agree with Fat Sam that it was Dicks fault !
Gary Neville is also right in that it will take quite a few transfer windows to get Arsenal playing to Dicks philosophy, trouble is Mr Neville, we dont dont have an owner who is going to spend his own money like City do and although some ex-player (cant remember who ?) said Dick is two years behind Pep, in two years time he will still be two years behind Peps team and tactics at that time when it comes and do I have to say how much we will be behind in investment terms !
As a few especially me have said for years now ……………Kroenke is the Big Evil, you can all have hope that it will change under Dick, but it aint going to happen over a few years let alone over night, we really are screwed as to becoming a competitive club and only knock out cups as a chance !………………………….you/we cannot play like City without players as good as theirs…………………it`s has and always (apart from the Leicester, before you get it in ) will be about the money since Chavs and Cirty came onto the scene and thats a fact !
https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/13/sam-allardyce-destroys-unai-emery-arsenal-tactics-manchester-city-defeat-7831321/
Morning Kev, I know what you mean re the press conferences, I find them hard going as well but as you say, at least he’s trying. He’s easier to understand than Carragher though.. lol
Allardyce, the big lump who has won nothing in the game has suddenly become the man who knows everything… Of course, he’d have hoofed and hoped..
Cocker, do you remember Guardiolas first year in charge at City?
Do you remember all the cock ups, the defensive shambles’ and the goalkeeper issues?
Do you remember all the experts and pundits and jorunos laughing at him?
Where are they now Cocker?
The fact that we have a squad of players with weak mentality and a lack of defensive nous IS Wenger’s fault because essentially this is still Wenger’s team and will be for the next two years.
We won’t see any real progress until this time next year.
As for taking any lessons from Fat Sam, mate, you’re having a larf…..
Hasn’t taken long for the knockers to come out has it. I wonder how many AKB’s were sitting there with a smile on their faces as we imploded.
You say kick the ball long ? however that’s always a 75% to 25 % advantage to the defence it would just be inviting wave upon wave of attacks as our midfield of Ramsey and Xhaka would have never got a touch only the new boy has any pace to run down the second or third ball.
It’s about getting the best from what we have and we have an unbalanced squad designed to play Wengerball , as transfer windows come and go I expect to see a large turnover of players but as we will be book balancing I think we will see academy players promoted because nothing we have to sell is top notch.
Yep that loss was all on Stan yesterday! FFS
Agree Kev, same with Liverpool. How many cockups did their defence and keepers make under Klopp? How long has he been there now and he’s only just signed what’s believed to be a top keeper.
And for all the praise lumped on the Totts, they’ve still won bugger all.
Kroenke imo, had one big fault and that was backing Wenger for far too long. And had he given Emery £200m to spend this summer and things still didn’t change, I wonder what we’d all be saying.
Patience, let the club build slowly but surely and then we might see more money spent as Emery works things out on the pitch.
Rico, that’s an excellent point on Klopp, they beat Man City and reached the Champions League final, Klopp has been at Liverpool what, 3 years?
Wenger made the Champions League final once in 22 years…..
Good morning Rico and all others.
Patience folks. patience. As Rico quite rightly says, a new manager, new players all needing to bed in. Let’s wait and see where we are at the end of October before sticking our collective head in the oven and turning on the gas.
Potter, and those players couldn’t even play Wenger ball because no-one knows what that really is, or was should I say.
But still empty handed Kev. 😉
Morning Cicero, or wait until next season…
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Either way Rico, I don’t have a gas oven. 😀
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
I had hoped for more, but got what I had expected.
The team were trying to play a system, new to them, but one Abu Dhabi Citeh have been playing very successfully for years, Was it Wenger’s fault? Partially, but many of our players lack that do or die attitude that was exemplified by TA6. Also, I think some of Unai’s player selection and positioning were wrong.
Ozil is not and never will be a winger. He should be playing in the #10 slot, not Ramsey. If we continue to play 4-2-3-1, Ramsey should be playing alongside Guendouzzi/Torreira and operate as a box-to-box MF.
Is part of Ramsey’s reticence in signing a new contract to do with him not wanting to play on the wing, where Wenger would often play him? Does he see himself as the creative AMF? I don’t!
It seems Unai was catering to some player’s wishes and lack of self confidence (Ozil) today. I would have started Lichsteiner to make a point with Bellerin, but hey that’s the decisions Unai gets paid huge sums to and I’m just an armchair coach.
As for Fat Sam, I equate what comes out of his mouth to what comes out of my arsenal when I’m on the porcelain throne. I don’t pay it much attention.
It’s early days and willing to give Unai and the team till the end of September before I start wailing about too loudly.
I just went back and read the link LCM posted. Fat Sam, one of the most controversial & divisive and least successful managers in English football, is now a pundit. He states a blindingly obvious point(s) and then talks s***e. If Sam told me the sky is blue, I’d be sticking my head out the door or the window to verify.
Allardyce speaks in the Metro?
Yeah, sure!
What next? Corbyn to give Bar Mitzvah speeches?
Guys, lets not beat each other up. Everyone of us are simply venting our frustrations with Kronke and Wenger.
Although we have a leech of a CEO, it must be said it was Wenger who purchased this load of dross in defence and midfield.
The question must be asked, WHO, sat and watched ( i.e. scouted ) Xhaka? It wasn’t Stan Kronke……… whoever it was, should have gone to specsavers. £35 million pounds, give or take a few quid, was paid on a guy who has no pace, cannot tackle, has no football brain and has one of the slowest brain to foot reaction ratio’ Ive seen in a professional footballer. He simply is not good enough for the EPL, and, probably the championship too. I put him in the Stepanovs mould. F—— useless.
Emery must be ruthless in the coming months. He has to be brave and select players who want/can play for The Arsenal.
If Ozil is slacking then give Matteo or even Smith Rowe a chance. At least these youngsters have some fight and energy in them.
If Ramsey is not performing, then play Elneny or AMN in midfield.
We have become a mid table side, and this is down to Wenger’s buys/coaching.
Start with Lichenstein (?) at right back. Two benefits here, one, is he will add some steal to our fragile and porous defence, two, Bellerin will either shape up and realise he needs to grow up and perform on the pitch and not swan about in magazine poses, or ship out. Either is a bonus for our team.
Adam – Well said. That lifted me out of funk and gave me a chuckle.
Pithy an to the point.
Adam, that’s a classic mate, Corbyn and Bar Mitzvahs…lol
I`ve rustled the Hornets nest !…….. hahahahaha
Fat Sam gets bad press from supporters imo and lets face it, all we have is opinions and my opinion is Dick got it wrong. I think I can safely say that most of us are of the opinion that football should be a horses for courses game in that you set up the team tactically wise for who ever the opponents are …….different systems against different teams…….Wenger as far as I know never did that much and just played his game and to which I may add, he never had players watching the oppo` on videos as clarrified by Fabregas, Dick on the other hand is video mad ( which I agree with) so he should have imo and Sam`s ( I`m now on second name terms with him now and cut out the first one of Fat !) have played that system with Cech as the new Beckenbaur ! hahahaha
Also remember my stingy tailed friends………….Wenger was ridiculed for years on this site ( Im one of them) , so it`s only a matter of time `til Dick is, I`m just ahead of my time !………… hahaha
Anyway as I keep saying Kroenke is main target and imo he will never invest and we will always be playing catch up………………….it may take a while for some of you to catch up with my views, by it`s inevtable that the penny will finally drop, actually, I dont think it will be too long !
😉
Lots of opinions said there, but I`d rather disagree as it`s ok and if we all agreed it would be boring as fcuk !
Shame Scott and M`kat aren`t around to spice it up .
🙂
Me neither Cicero, thank goodness.. 😉
Gary Neville says we/Dick need(s) about 5 transfer windows to get it right !………………will he be afforded that amount of time ?……………………..oh……I forgot, we have Kroenke as owner, so as long as we make a profit he can stay as long as he likes, give or take a couple of decades !
😆
Afternoon Cg. Ozil should be on the bench, not the wing or in the middle.. lol
I was really disappointed with his performance, especially after all the fuss in the summer. He has so much talent and skill, yet such a lazy attitude. Such a great waste..
LCM – You may well be ahead of your time. We’ll have to wait and see if we look back at your prognostications in awe, anger or mirth. Make a note of your postings today, as you may have the opportunity to rub our faces in it some time in the future.
As for Fat Sam, I’ll never be on terms, civil or otherwise, with him. He and Clueless Tony Pubis just bring out the worst in me.
Next game Chelsea, they should be fatigued as much as Man City so I say in for the kill and only lose 1-0 !…………………..seriously though, they do not press like City, so should be easier (he says).
If Dick wants to go the way of a Beckanbaur goalie then Leno is without doubt more comfortable with the ball at his feet and I know this as a fact seeing as 3 of his appearances for Germany were beside Boatang as a sweeper ! …….alright, I lied about the sweeper bit before you rush off to google it, but he is decent with ball at feet….Cech !…..mmmmm
Vcc, that’s just the point. We all know that Kroenke isn’t going to throw hundreds of millions at the team in the fashion City etc eo but to blame him for where we are now is tedious imo. As you quite rightly said, not one of the players in the squad was signed by Kroenke, not one and I doubt he even got involved with the money side of things because as his son said not long ago, all that kind of stuff is left for the board to decide.
In all honesty, I can’t see Emery sticking by the under performers for too long, he’ll chop and change for the good of the team.
Dont get me started on Pulis, CG !……………….another misunderstood semi genius who would have leaked less goals than Wenger did last season ! hahahaha
Another thought I had about yesterday. Perhaps the team selection etc was what it was because deep down, Emery knew any kind of home result was going to be difficult so he fielded mostly Wenger players, the likes of Xhaka, Ozil, Ramsey etc etc because he wanted to see if they had any kind of spirit in them before casting them aside. Especially Ramsey who wants a big pay rise..
You have a sort of a point there,Rico, but I will adjust it to my conspiracy theory !…………………Dick knew he was going to lose, so he played all the Wenger players so most on here would blame Wenger for the loss !…..hahahahaha………….must say that has tickled me !.hahahaha
Rico – I think Mesut lacks confidence at the moment. If you’re not going to play to his strengths then don’t play him. I’m not sure his body language is always a true reflection of his attitude or feelings, but it is usually off putting.
I do believe that Unai is catering to Ramsey to get him to sign a contract renewal and that is not helping the team dynamic. However, I was glad to see Unai had the cajones to replace him with Lacazette, something Arsene would NOT have done.
LVM – Don’t wind me up, I’m overwound as it is. I don’t want to launch into a tirade of crude industrial language and fall afoul of She who must be obeyed. I don’t know what I’d do if I were banned from the House.
Where is our sage from down under. He’d take some of the heat for and from me.
That’s not what I said Lc.
You’re right Cg re his body language but he frustrates the heck out of me. Everything he does seems so half-hearted..
Probably brewing his beer, CG, I miss Scott, but I bet he still reads HH and I`d bet good money he would be pissing himself that Wenger is being blamed for yesterdays game hahaha………….I may have tickled or rankled a few with the Sam link, but seriously, Wenger being blamed for yesterday is comedy gold to me !
😆
Not what I said you said, Rico, read my comment again and you will see that I said “adusted” !…………obviously for satirical effect, but some are blind to my blogging style of adding which imo is humour !……………….you may get it or not, like it or not, but to not see that it`s always mostly intended as humour is sad really, it`s how I try and deal with depression whether it`s my team or life just being a bitch in general.
Rico – He is a very talented player, but he is a confidence player, not very resilient nor a leader.
Ok Lc. I realised much of what you type is to be taken with a pinch of salt a long time ago… lol
He’s definitely no leader Cg. He’d be better off in a team where the other nine are prepared to work their socks off..
Thank you Rico, I dont want to come a cross anything less than trying have a good time on here, but like others have said, I hate fcuking losing as much as them, cant say I like drawing much either ! hahaha
Although being someone with an idiotic brain, my season always starts with the thinking that a draw away to Spuds, Chavs `Pool, two Mancs is Ok and that we should win all the other games means we should win the league every year, not too much to ask for ! hahaha
Afternoon all.
The heat is on, both the weather and the club. I was really hoping for a win yesterday, fooled myself into believing it would happen……first disappointment of the season! More to come? Yes, plenty I should imagine.
What I saw yesterday was very much what I saw last year. Misplaced passes, passes that weren’t controlled and the ball rolled away, NO one touch football and not a lot of two touch either. It seems the ball just doesn’t go where our players intend it to. Struggling to recall one cross that presented a goal scoring opportunity. Of the few chances we had there was a complete,lack of composure and accuracy. As,for tactics? Playing out from the back is all very well but if the man on the ball can’t weight a pass or direct the ball accurately then we are just wasting our time!
We have a collection of quite skilful fairly fit squad of players but something is missing somewhere because the players are not producing any thing fluid on the pitch! I’m of the view that if we are to see any kind of change in our results then wee Dick is going to have to completely overhaul the playing staff, the whole of it! There were only two players from yesterday’s game that played anything like well, Lichsteiner and Guendouzie(sp) as for the rest they were nothing if not ordinary.
I’m sure we’ll have more successful days and much better displays during the course of this season but sadly, wee Dick has really got a tough job on his hands.
Sunshine and clouds here. Is summer really over?
I don’t think Dick knew how bad we have become under Wenger these past several years. I bet it was a rude awakening for him.
I’m fairly confident he will steady the ship and get it together, but its going to take a few seasons to eradicate the crap from our squad.
And to think Wenger wanted to carry on!!!!!!!
Boy oh boy, if he had been given a further extension to his contract, doesn’t bear thinking about where we may have finished up.
If Real Madrid come in for Hazard before our next game then I think a draw is looking possible !
🙂
OK tactical stuff !……………………..obviously Dick likes to play out from the back and I`ve already gave an opinion that Leno is better suited than Cech, but also, isn`t it glarringly obvious that Mustafi and Sokratis are not the best for such a system !……….although both not CB`s, wouldn`t Monreal and Elneny be better suited against certain teams who have no large central striker ?……………both have played there before.
I get it that it will take Dick quite a while to bring in such a system, but he will need the players to play it and that will need money to buy them and a lot of it !………………..this is the catch 22 with the owner imo!…………………………….now over at Man City, Pep quotes….”Manchester City gave me a fantastic squad!”
Someone will say we have had money, but it pales into insignificance compared to 2 Mancs and Chavs over the past seasons !…………………………………yep, I know, Kroenke is going no where !…………….in common with our chances of ever winning title !
Didn’t Unai Emery say he’d done a lot of homework on the club and players? If he did, he probably knew he had his work cut out..
And boy he said got a tough job on his hands..
Got to agree with Wavy , it wasn’t so much the playing out from the back but how we executed it. Too many passes going astray because the ball wasn’t being moved quickly enough , but also because no-one was showing for it and players getting caught in possession . I said earlier every time you lump it forward chances are that it’s picked up by the defence . it’s the midfields responsibility to provide an outlet . Instead of chasing forward looking for the defence splitting pass it’s sometimes better to drop back and take the ball and redistribute it more easily keeping the ball and making the other team chase.
Playing that way is new though, it’ll take time to ‘perfect’ that style of playing and instead of panic passing which caused errors, the more they play the better they’ll get..
Good post Rico. Just a question for you guys “if the penalty had been the other way would Michael Oliver have given it” I bet he would. Bring in VAR now. Emery needs to be given time at least this season. If he can make Europa great. If not then he should go. Wenger at least made Europa
Can’t agree Patrick , the bar is set low to just qualify but the he needs to have his own tools before we decide his fate. if he fails the time to get rid is at the end of next season not this one.
Morning Rico and all. Refreshing to see that Tony Adams has laid in with his his two bob’s worth to Unai. I did wonder how long that might take. I reckon Paul “very much so” Merson won’t be far behind.
The list of managerial sensations willing to have a chip now includes Big Tone and Big Sam. Both have won the Champions League several times I believe so are well worth listening to.
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Good morning all.
Gazidis has said Emery will be given time to sort things out. There will be no panic measures despite early season dropped points.
Wise words from the Chief Executive.
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It’s the “silly season”, not much to write about so every has-been player/manager and his dog are ready to have a dig. I expect our most famous fan will have some thoughts on the situation to share with us soon. Wake up Jeremy Corbyn there’s another band wagon for you to jump approaching.
Patrick (Paddywack) I too think any talk about Emery going right now is a bit previous. He’s been left a mess, he needs time, certainly more time than just a season regardless of where we finish. Well, unless we are relegated of course and that’s not going to happen.
Morning Adam. Seems Emery is an easy target right now, crazy really after one match. No, it’s absolutely stupid! Any opportunity to lay the boot in though eh, although I haven’t read Adam’s comments but I’d imagine they’ve been twisted to fit the media agenda.
Very wise words Cicero, although isn’t Ivan off to sunny Italy?
Just read Big Tony’s comments and to be fair, I think he has a point. Most of what he says I agree with. What irks me is the timing of his comments to TalkSport of all people. Say that in six months time perhaps or at the end of the season if that’s how he feels, but not now, not after just one game against Man City…
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Rico, even if Gazidis does leave it will be no big disaster. He has already built the structure to continue the revolution post Wenger.
New Manager in situ. The three wise men in place to back up Emery and the boy Josh waiting in the wings to assume the CE role.
Oh, and don’t forget we have the ever reliable Sir Chips Keswick to hold everything together.
Anyone got a “tongue-in-cheek” emoticon to go with the Sir Chips comment?
Although I think the timing would be odd, I doubt Gazidis going will make a difference either Cicero, there’s always Josh.. 😉
I can remember Man City coming to the Emirates a few seasons back, long before Pep. They turned us over 2-0 with Milner scoring one of the goals. The crowd gave a collective shrug of the shoulders that night and thought about something else. They expected it because they knew that Wenger was way, way past it. There’s a negativity running through the club and it has attached itself to some of the players and to many of the regular attendees. You could feel it sleeping out of the TV screen on Sunday. It’s negative but understandable. Arsenal were beaten before the whistle even blew against a team lead with Guardiola’s ruthlessness and budget.
Emery is going to have some huge decisions to make. Ozil, Xhaka, Ramsey, Mikhi, Hector, Cech, Danny etc have all got to get it together soon. Write a few of those off and the scale of the task becomes even bigger, if you want to compete at the very top. It’s also going to be expensive and Emery and the board are going to have to get tough and show patience. But they must also be very, very demanding while doing so.
As soon as the money rolled into City, didn’t we start losing to them?
Those you mention Adam, well the writing is on the wall for all unless they suddenly start producing on the pitch and very soon too as they are not young stars in the making, they’re experienced international players. When you see a young Guendozi, albeit with a few errors in his game right now, giving 100% from start to finish, the others should be embarrassed. Out of all of them, I expect Welbeck to up his game once he starts playing because he’s another who at least gives his all in every game so if Emery etc can help his overall game which Wenger clearly didn’t, he could be an asset this season.
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Looking back at Sunday’s game, the defence has come in for some serious stick for conceding two goals. In the game we produced four excellent goal scoring opportunities, and should have been awarded a penalty, when Mendy grabbed Mustafi by the neck and threw him to the ground. Had we been able to convert three out of five of those chances, things would be looking entirely different. Yet our strike force appear not to be held to account.
In fact conceding just two goals, to the team that broke scoring records last season, reflects quite well on our much maligned defenders.
Just as in the case of Unai Emerey, get off their backs and give ’em a bit of time.
The defence will always be singled out imo, until it looks more organised but that’s because of the past ten years, not now imo. It’s takes longer than a couple of months to sort the mess Wenger left the players in both mentally and football wise. But you’re right Cicero, had we taken those chances etc, yes we’d be discussing the way we played etc but we’d have been happy (ish) with a point I’m sure.
What we want for this season?
1 – Be champions?
2 – Be on the top four?
3 – Be on the top six ?
4 – Be on the top twelve?
5 – Be upper the Totts?
6 – Not be relagated?
7 – Be the best of London?
Who can answer me?
For me, only the 3,4 and 6 will be in your goals.
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QM, I don’t think you need to be quite so despondent as to write off Arsenal’s entire season on the basis of one game against one of the top four clubs in Europe,
We just played the best team in the PL and one of the best teams in Europe…it’s not all doom and gloom!
Hi Guys and Dolls.
I missed the Tony Adams interview. Has anybody got a link or manuscript I can read. Please
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I think it was on talksport
I respect Tony Adams for everything he did for Arsenal as an inspirational captain and centre half, he will always be an Arsenal legend in my eyes.
I also think that he is bitter at the club for not inviting him back and onto the coaching staff.
He fell out big time with Arsene Wenger and it’s just deteriorated from then.
I find it quite sad that Adams does not have a role at the club.
Why have Marseilles waited till now, English window closed, to move for Elneny?
We only need a couple more injuries and we’ll be in the shit.
So if Marseilles want him now I’d expect Arsenal to ensure that they pay a biggish fee, towards £20m. And if they don’t like it, they can do one….
After the non performance of some of our big names last weekend, I’d imagine that Emery is looking to replace a few of them over the next two windows.
If you are a big, international player, it’s not unreasonable to expect that games like Man City are the ones you want to perform in, to show how good you are on a worldwide stage, that’s what champions do, they relish these games, they raise their level in these games, they want to show that they’re as good as the opponents.
Agree Lee…
Evening all.
After one game it is great to see Gazidis give Dick the confidence vote !…….hahaha
I`m not asking for Dick`s head after one game, but I stand by my opinion that he played the wrong tactics (and some players who are not good enough to play such a system ) against City, he could have been here 20 years and I would have had the same opinion, had it been Huddersfield he may have got away with it, but City, no way !
Interesting article on BBC……………..some teams could play with a half filled stadium and still make a profit !
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44850888
Lee brought the rain to Cornwall, he could have at least took it home with him !
🙂
Here you go Vickers….
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/723196/Arsenal-news-Tony-Adams-Unai-Emery-Manchester-City-defeat-Premier-League-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-star-football+%28Daily+Star+%3A%3A+Football+Feed%29
Kev, apart from Auba and Lacazette, they’ll all be gone then… 😜
Usmanov saying he will help his mate Moshiri………………..“We are friends with Farhad Moshiri,” he told Bloomberg. “If he needs the support, I am happy to help.”
As for JM`s list……………………..I`d add that I would bite your hand off for relegation if it got rid of Kroenke and got us a new owner like Man City`s………………….drastic ?……yes !, but Im` a desperate man who hates Kroenke more than any other person on this planet .
I see no way forward and it`s inevitable imo that we will eventually fall behind Liverpool, Totnumb, Everton and West Ham as well as the rich 3 !…………………………………………mid table basically !…………………nothing to do with Dick, it`s just how I see the future under Kroenke and it`s not a new view of mine……………soothsayer I is ……….
😆
Rico. It will be interesting to see the ins and outs over the next year. A couple of our bigger players will surely go. Perhaps more.
Indeed it will Adam.. Look forward to it too..
Yes, the whole squad needs a big boost in quality and one way to do that is to buy some A-Class players. Or be just about the shrewdest coach out there. Preferably both. 🙂
Both would be ideal but then Kroenke is too tight remember… 😉
Rico. If that’s the case then all is lost. 🙂
We’re doomed Adam 😜
Rico, i’ll not believe we are doomed until Ornstein proclaims it on his twatter account..
Ha ha Bt..
I like your 11:00am, Adam, although less dramatic as some of my thought`s we are on the same wavelength imo as it seems you are indicating that we need to spend an enormous amount of wenger……..sorry……….wonga, but you know the amount we need is not within the means of this club via our owner…………………or maybe I read it wrong ! 🙂
Do not blaspheme The Ornstein !……………………great plagues will come your way!
🙂
Hey Rico………………………………I`m watching Love Island Australia, there`s going to be some strong language and rucks !…………………..I think I`ve found where Scot and Gnarley disappeared to !!
🙂
And what a bunch they are Lc. At least in the uk there were a few different characters..
LC. As Gary Neville quite rightly said after the game on Sunday, the standard is being set by the best manager in the World, with the most money.
It’s easy to assume that we need to match that outlay which, as you point out, is unlikely. I do think we need a much stronger squad though and that won’t come cheap. Even if Kroenke gave Emery a quarter billion, there’s no guarantees it would ensure any sort of enduring success though.
A quarter of a billion by the next summer window wouldn`t be enough imo, Adam, as ridiculous as the prices are going !………………….seen the price of the last two record goalies ?……………………jeez, 60 and 70 odd million !……………….it`s a mad mad world !
🙂
Le Coq, I’m still spitting feathers over Safe Hands, didn’t qpr fleece us for over 2 million back in the day lol !!!
Gooners, it’s no Pep wonderland but a work in progress, still early doors yet.
Morning all.
New post up now.