Morning all.
We didn’t want Mourinho at Arsenal did we so seeing him commit to Toots is quite a relief. It’s kind of funny too because if we’re to believe the rumours of an unhappy camp down the road then the Portuguese fella is the perfect guy to deepen that rift. He’s been successful though, very successful but with money and lots of it. Toots don’t have the kind of sums Mourinho has been used to so it could be an interesting few months ahead for our neighbours. Only if you’re interested in what goes on down the road of course and I’m not. Not one bit.
Inevitably though, the sacking of Poch has raised questions as to why Unai Emery is still at Arsenal. There’s a difference I think although I still believe Emery should be long gone, Toots were Champions League finalists last season, although their league campaign wasn’t anywhere near as good as the previous one and had we not collapsed, they’d have been in the Europa League rather than us. The sacking of Poch has not been a knee jerk reaction or at least I don’t think so. Emery on the hand took over a squad already playing average football, changed the squad and he’s still struggling to get them to gel. In reality though he’s only had six/seven months to work with the players he now has. I’m not trying to excuse anyone here because signs of improvement should be visible. They’re not.
Maybe that’s why Emery is being given the eight games to show he can turn things around. If he is. The only positive is Mourinho won’t be replacing him despite many a rumour suggesting he would. Poch though will now be looking for a new club and Allegri is still available. Raul and co might now see how easy it to change manager during a season. Yes it might cost the club a few quid in compensation but then so will not qualifying for the Champions League which is looking quite likely at the moment. Without CL football the club won’t be able to spend much on the squad which in turn means they might have to cash in on one or two players as they did last summer when Everton made an offer for Alex Iwobi.
The only big money makers we have in my opinion are Guendouzi, Martinelli, Torreira, Aubameyang, Lacazette and perhaps Bellerin, Chambers, Holding and a few of the younger players.
We’ve been down the ‘selling club’ route and it hurt us badly because we lost really good players and not always for an amount we should have pushed for but because their contracts were either in their final year or close to, restricted the clubs negotiating power.
And that’s where we are with Aubameyang. Either he signs soon or he could be the next big name out the door. That’s the risk the club are taking by sticking with Unai Emery. Not just with Aubameyang either.
Have a good day guys, don’t split your sides too much over Mourinho going to the neighbours…
Morning all and thanks Rico.
The real interest should be not what Spuds are doing, but what are we doing.
I would find it unbelievable ( even with the boards comments on Emery ) if they are not “secretly” eyeing up the next manager/coach.
Other than go on a remarkable turn around run which takes us into CL places and in that remarkable run we have to hope Chavs and Leicester completely lose their form …………..Emery is a dead man walking.
I`m with Kev……..Poch is destined to replace OGS, so now Maureen is a Spud and Enrique is Spain manager it leaves us a clear run to get whoever we like from the rest and ther are plenty out there, so maybe the board are not doing a knee jerk reaction as they might not want to replicate the mistake that Gazidis made in hiring the inept Emery and look carefully and considerably to get it right , so no panic and this ebening would be fine to announce Arteta !
Morning all and Rico!
The poisoned dwarf rocking up at the slum is a win win win for the Arsenal. a: because we can’t be tempted to appoint him, b: because by the time he leaves, the damage he will have done to the spuds will far out do the ‘good’, and c: I’m fairly confident that he will not improve them sufficiently for them to be ordering any new tins of silver polish!
As for our own predicament, the managerial choices pool has been increased by one. Allegri said he was taking a year off, in the same way as Pep did, so he is currently unavailable. Perhaps that is why the arsenal board are delaying the sack for little Dick. They are waiting for Max to become available again?
Back to the spuds again, briefly. Would you want to work for Levy? I know I wouldn’t. He seems to me to be a total s’house! Mind you the dwarf and he are maybe a marriage made in hell. (Heaven wouldn’t sanction their joint arrival, surely!) Lets hope they continue to be serial underachievers. I mean that’s what they’re really successful at……..failure!!
Right, I’m off to fact-check the pair of them on the new Tory cheat site. Though I don’t think I’ll get much truthful information from it. Ha hah ha ha ha ha ha.
Hmm, I have very mixed feelings about the news of Mourinho rocking up at the Slum, remember, whether he’s been in charge at Chelsea or ManU, he still has the sign over us, so don’t go expecting Arsenal to be winning a NLD for awhile…
What he has at the Slum is a top top squad of players, a squad that maybe just needs to hear a new voice, a squad that has a good defence and midfield and he’ll soon organise them and make them hard to beat. They won’t be rolling over anytime soon in future games against top six teams.
He’ll also make them competitive, so put any spare change you have lying about. on Tottenham finishing top four and winning the FACup.
Meanwhile we drift at Arsenal…
Morning Wavy, all.
I don’t know Kev, Mourinho had the hold over Wenger, but not sure about us as a club..
I hope you’re right Rico, but can you see an Emery coached Arsenal beating a Mourinho coached Tottenham? 🤔
As do I Lc, I think it’s a case of when, not if.
ARSENAL REJECT! 😁
Brian
We may all be looking at the way things finished at the clubs Mourinho has been with, but initially, when he joins, there’s an immediate improvement and silverware. So at least two more years of looking up at them I reckon.
I can’t see many managers not beating Emery though Kev. Not just Mourinho.
The new manager bounce ,quite how long it will last will govern where they are finishing. The rumours of infidelity won’t go away because of a new manager so I can see changes in January with a midfielder coming in perhaps the return of Bale who is persona non gratis in Madrid.
They have two aged centre backs that with the right revitalisation could offer more stability and Mourinho would appreciate that It would suit his style .I can see in the short term a steady climb up the league but they will have to change again in the long run.
Maybe Joe Lewis is thinking about selling the club?
Hence a big injection of finance, ripe for Jose to spend.
Morning Rico,
Levy is, or so we are lead to believe, a “tight-arse” with money and wouldn’t give Poch much (or any?) say in new additions to the club?
What do I know? Lol.
Emery’s body language is negative and he looks SO uncomfortable in interviews, so I would have him out of the door in a micro second, providing those who make the major decisions in the club have someone else in mind.
The fact that Torreira’s agent is mumbling about his charge being played out of position speaks volumes for many of the players too.
Lünberg as an interim, surely he can’t do worse? Eight more games with Emery will sink us, no question.
G’day to you all.
There’s no reason why the club shouldn’t be talking to Allegri now about joining Arsenal at the end of this season. In the meantime, Emery must go and Freddie should take over to see us through to May. I’m sure that Raul can sweet talk Freddie into accepting the stand in role with a promise that he will get the top job on Allegri’s departure in a couple of years.
Agree Potter, he’s taking over a club in a similar situation to what Utd were when he went there imo.
But, as we’ve all said, what are the Arsenal board going to do about our club because as Toots might climb the table, we could very well pass them heading in the opposite direction.
Morning Andorra, I can’t see eight games making much difference. Fixtures on paper look reasonable but sadly that means nothing. I really hope Emery can turn things around but can’t see. Instead him staying could drive players out of the club.
The board are taking a huge risk if they stick with him, a very costly one too.
David Dein wanted Wenger the season Bruce Rioch got the job after his impressive work at Bolton Wanderers. Bolton were a really good team at the time and Wenger was an unknown in England, Hill Wood took the safe decision.
18 months ago Arsenal took the safe decision and appointed Emery – safe track record, won trophies at Sevilla and PSG – above Arteta.
Makes me wonder if Arsenal might go back for Arteta in the summer?
One more reason to hate Spurs,as if we needed one.
I’m a bit wary too though,with their squad, I’d expect them to get top4.
Ironic that Spurs fans, including their friends in the media,have spent the last few years saying the FA Cup is a nothing trophy;if they win it now expect it to be billed as the greatest triumph in the history of football.
Afternoon Everybody, thanks Rico.
I, like many on here am pleased we can’t get Mourinho any more, but like Kev I am quietly concerned that he will get Spurs climbing up the table pretty quickly.
As for Arsenal…….. Who knows?
It’s pretty obvious to all of us that Emery has to go, and the sooner the better, but who and what kind of manager?
Who ever it is needs to fit!
David Moyles at Everton did a great job with very limited funds ,the team punched well above their weight. He went to Man United and crashed and burned
Alan Curbishley kept a minnow like Charlton in the top division with no money for years. As soon as he changed clubs it all went wrong for him and Charlton.
Arsene Wenger and David Dein were a great team together and when Dein left, I think Arsene and Arsenal lost something.
Maybe an Ex player wouldn’t be a bad idea. They know the workings and the politics of the club already and the Fans would give them some leaway and that FIT could be halfway there!
Sorry to waffle on.
Who on the board wanted Arteta Kev? That could into play on our next appointment. Also, I wonder if Raul had any input into appointing Emery in the first place because Ivan was still pulling the limited strings then..
The Mourinho appointment says to me how much hold we have over Spuds in that Levy was worried that we will/would sack Emery and get Mourinho in, so Levy panicked and got it all done before us even though there`s no way we wanted him anyway…..great bluffing imo ! hahaha
I dont hold onto this thing that Mourinho gets success straight away, maybe in the past, but, hes had money and since Mansour lot came onto the scene he aint been as good. Past glories mean nothing for the future as the landscape has changed incredibly.
I thing he will win fcuk all, put it this way, he might have been a serial winner of trophies, but people are forgetting that Spuds are serial under achievers in that department.
Hi LCM, I do hope you’re right about Mourinho.
I can’t help thinking that you only want Arteta because he looks like Captain Black though !!
Rico, I would imagine that both Raul and Mislintat had some input into the decision to select Emery for the job.
Maybe Arteta was the first choice, but made certain demands, like control of transfer policy etc, there was too much pointing towards him getting the job for it to be rubbish imo.
Also, how long was Gazidis negotiating with Milan?
Was he in talks with them whilst interviewing candidates for the Arsenal job?
That whole scenario is murky…
Mike, Dein and Wenger were better than Stan and Ollie… 😆
Kev, I thought it was Ivan’s decision.. Still, I guess we’ll never know who had the final say. The only connection I can see between Raul and Emery would be Spain. Lol
Aparrently Mourinho has a 3 year plan……………………..
https://scontent.flhr4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/74607783_10156882662198727_5728173534505598976_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_oc=AQlI3XNzHb9wiilPFnCYwb9j2WhG_gvSlbXlTVJug1wN80eD9F51WEdy6O1RZeAjBOg&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-2.fna&oh=f18412d8f29d30f03c8f151a518da847&oe=5E8B6BEC
So did Emery… 😂
Mourinho has been done as a manager since Madrid. I said the same thing here when United hired him. This is how bad a hire Mourinho is, I will rather bring back Wenger than hire Mourinho. When are excutives going to realize that the game has passed Mourinho by?
Kane will be gone by the summer.
OBI Don’t worry, be happy and look on the bright side of life, Mourinho is now at Tottenham as for us no new coach until next year unless we loose the next 4 matches then start to worry.
New post up now
Mourinho is a smart guy. It is not unthinkable his time off has allowed him to reflect on his own short comings and fixed them. It makes me nervous he is at Spurs and I for one would not be surprised if he turns them around to the extend that they finish above us.
As Rico eluded to, Emery presided over a collapse at the end of his first season that cost us CL football. That collapse has extended and worsened well into this season. IMO our board is a lot less decisive than Spurs who finished the season in the top 4 and in CL final. Yet a little less than half a season and they act. Emery has been in charge of a team in decline for nearly one season now.
I don’t like Mourniho, but I do believe we need results this season if we don’t want to lose our best players, fail to attract good players with experience and shrink our financial budget. Mourinho IMO was our best chance for CL. He still knows how to win a cup as he showed with Man U and could have won the EL for us.
If Poch goes to Man U and Mourinho succeeds at Spurs the appointment of an Arteta all of sudden doesn’t look so sexy any more.