Morning all.
Our last two results have been detrimental to our top four chase. More concerning is the two performances which were nothing short of abysmal. No guts, no passion and no idea. I think we all pretty much agree that the team selection was questionable to say the least against Crystal Palace but regardless, most of the players Unai Emery selected were international professional footballers. They should have done a lot better than they did. £110 million worth of strikers on the pitch that day, a £50 million number 10. I bet the entire Palace squad didn’t cost that amount but Hodgson’s players have what many of ours lack and that’s lack of fear, lack of being intimidated by a so called big club. Same on Wednesday at Wolves. A relatively inexperienced manager, not an overly expensive assembled squad but players all full of belief. Players who are prepared to face a free kick instead of turn their back on one.
We can criticise Emery all we like on tactics, team selection etc etc, heck we did Wenger for years but the reality is, no matter how good a coach/manager is, he can’t change a players personality. Emery can tell Ozil to track back and defend until he’s blue in the face but nothing will change. Ramsey can be told a million times to drop the fancy stuff and keep it simple and he might for a while but then back it creeps into his game.
How many times I wonder have Xhaka, Mustafi, Koscielny been told not to turn their back on a ball, yet still they do and when will all our defensive players learn to play to the whistle instead of raising their arms like a school kid desperate for a pee? When will Aubameyang and Lacazette learn the offside rule? All simple things in the game which were taught in primary or secondary school. In most sports too.
When Arsene Wenger arrived, he inherited one of the best back fives in the game at the time. He added to them and turned us into a great side. Success for him came quickly. He didn’t need to coach the defence, they’d already done all of that with George Graham but for Emery, it’s been the opposite. He probably inherited one of the worst defences in the league and not much of a midfield either.
Emery brought in Torreira and Sokratis and put trust in Rob Holding. Sadly for him and the team, injury ended the latter’s season soon after. Would we have been better if Holding, Sokratis and Koscielny had been our main choice at centre-back all season? Possibly, although I’d say probably. What about Bellerin and Monreal too? Had Torreira and Xhaka been able to play alongside each other more often than they have, might they have developed a better understanding as the season progressed? If only players were more clinical in front of goal.
Then there’s Ramsey and Ozil too who for reasons only the manager knows haven’t played as much as they could, or as some might believe should. We might have been stronger had there not been issues with both, certainly Ramsey on recent form. Danny Welbeck is another who was in great form before his season was cruelly cut short. He’d have made a big difference to our season playing the way he was. Instead though, Emery has had to call on others who I don’t think it’s cruel to say, haven’t done as well as those who they replaced might have. I don’t mean Guendouzi or AMN by the way.
Injuries/bans are all part of the game I know and when building a squad that has to be taken into consideration but Arsenal either don’t have the money (I don’t believe that) or are simply too tight to spend the kind of money they needed to last summer to totally change the squad. Add in the wage structure already at the club and the age of many of our players, generating money won’t be easy either. (Academy players aside) Even so, building a squad takes time, certainly more than one summer transfer window. In my opinion anyway.
I suppose my point is, or rather the question I’ve been asking myself is, if every single player in our squad had stayed fit/available for the entire season, do you think we would we have performed much better than we have?
My answer by the way is yes, I think we would.
Good morning Rico a thought provoking post, thank you.
I’m not sure that a fully fit and available squad would make that much difference. There would still have been the necessity for team rotation or the best eleven would have been exhausted before mid-season.
Perhaps we would have seen less of Mustafi had Holding not been injured, but too many of our squad are below par anyway.
As to the turning away from the ball, it’s not a trait exclusive to Arsenal, but has definitely been a factor in the number of goals conceded.
I think it was reasonable that the Wenger squad were given enough time, under a new manager, to show what they could do and how they would react to a new coaching regime. Well they’ve had the time and I have to say that in too many cases it’s been wasted.
It seems likely that several first team regulars will be moved on in the simmer. With some concern I wait to see what they are replaced with.
Incidentally, due to global warming, simmer is the new term for what used to be called summer. 😉
Good post rico, morning. I cannot remember the last season when we havent had what seems more than our share of injuries, another 3 players out for most of the season. So in any business, you would prepare for this happening and have a squad that can cope. Clearly we dont, and cant!
It seems that injuries to The Arsenal are like buses they all come along together and always in our case in the same positions . A squad can cope when you have three players out when they they are evenly spread across the pitch. When however you get 3 back 4 players out or 3 midfielders at the same time you struggle and this always seems to be the case for us.
There is no team that does not suffer multiple injury cases,especially for those involved in multiple competitions. So injuries cannot be a valid reason for our inexcusably tepid team performances of late.
In fact, you can even argue that the injury situation in Arsenal has markedly improved. There were times we would have as many as 8 to 10 players out.
The mark of a big team, which we claim to be, is the ability to cope with players absences as they arise.
The main issue, in my view is: does this manager have the tactical and intellectual capacity to run this club and produce the results? I’m not so sure; but I sincerely hope time will prove otherwise
Of course injuries are a valid reason for our team’s poor performance, but the situation is made worse by the lack of quality back-up players.
Morning Gooner’s
Morning Rico, it’s not just the defenders Rico/Scott, it’s the midfield and the forwards, you attack as a team and you defend as a team, it’s just that we still have too many players who don’t want to do the defending part.
Funnily enough I was talking to a Man Utd fan last night and we was both reminiscing about the Vieira/Keane era and commenting on how many flakes our teams contain.
Maybe that’s the modern footballer, they just happen in the main to be flakey?
I think that Emery, Mislintat and Co knew that we needed to do more business last summer, but when you’re paying around £26million per annum in wages to two players who routinely disappear when we play away from the Emirates, you’re hamstrung and that is the legacy that Emery has been left.
Despite the spin, the online propaganda etc etc, we all know the players who have let us down in the past, are letting us down now and will let us down in the future.
It doesn’t matter what their fans say or post, we know that the fault for our clubs financial situation is due to the stupid contracts that were handed out by the previous regime, the nonsensical way our previous manager allowed players to run down contracts and the lack of care and interest from our owners.
You can dress up a pig any way you like, but at the end of the day it’s still a pig and the previous regime made a pigs ear of running our club and we’re paying for it now and will do for the next two seasons or at least until those mammoth contracts expire….
Good post Rico…
Afternoon Cicero, Kev, all.
This post made sense in my head honest. Lol
I suppose what I’m trying to say is that once those who ‘we’ believe should be sold and replaced with better, or simply different, surely we’ll be better under Emery. Because of injuries etc, he’s had to continually play an out of form Mkhitaryan, whatever an Mkhitaryan is I’m not entirely sure, Iwobi who really isn’t a winger, not imo anyway, either an ageing right back or AMN who disputes doing well, isn’t in his best position. Mustafi who is, just Mustafi and at times we’ve not even had true defenders in defence.
Our midfield consists of players who all like to get forward, one being far too slow to get back. Aubameyang presses from the front when he feels like it which is usually at the Emirates and seems to be the general theme. Until Crystal Palace rolled up and faced a much weakened side.
Thanks re the post btw guys.
Andrew, that’s my point really re ‘Wenger signings’ – a fully fit and available squad and in amongst it is a good team, but after the first 8-10 depending on personal opinion, the rest are just numbers and a big financial weight on the club.
I don’t include academy players.
How terribly sad. Emiliano Sala’s father has passed away after suffering a massive heart attack. Just 58 years old and is reported to have never got over his sons death…
That’s awful Rico, that family must be wondering what they did wrong to be suffering so much heartache.
It is Kev.
Afternoon Rico/All
it might have made a difference if we had everyone available but the weak mentality is so ingrained,who knows.
So many just turn up when they feel like it; you just know they will be committed against Valencia,but away to Burnley ?
Xhaka turning away from the free kick the other day was typical,cowardly really.
Just bring on the clear out,new blood,youngsters must be the future.
Trouble is that whilst we are numerically in the C. League hunt the youngsters are running out of opportunity. Chances are that it will go down to the last game
and the chance will be gone.
Eddie looked bright and purposeful when he had his cameo last match and reports from Germany are that Nelson is coming on nicely but as for the others it will be wait and see what happens in the summer.
Another poser Rico. With or without a full team, this arsenal squad is fragile and mentally weak. It didn’t start today. Bayern”s 10-2 annihilation, 6-1, 5-1 bashings by Chelsea and Liverpool respectfully. You can add other horrible results and factor the comical goals we concede. We lost the league cup years ago to a rather schoolboy defensive error. It’s looking like it is in our DNA.
Under pressure, we panic and most teams will capitalise when our players start running like headless chicken. Montreal must be the easiest full back to play against – one legged, very slow and easily shoved off the ball. This was te blueprint Wenger tried to implement that is still haunting the club – the Barcarique kind of players but he could only afford the second rate copies. This problem of arsenal capitulation will only cease when most of those Wenger players are eased off. Don’t get me wrong though. These same players on a good day can make you eat your words.
Good stuff Rico, yet another thought-provoking post. Good comments on the photo! Lol.
Afternoon everyone, lots of good comments too.
I also tend to think we’d have done a little better without injuries but in recent years we’ve had more than our fair share and, lack the resources of City for backups. If that tight-arsed owner would slide a chunk of money our way maybe we could change a few things instead of “just managing”? We NEED an owner who loves football, European style, and, is a Gunners supporter. We can thank the Board and Shareholders for that.
However, we have had some good results against some of the current top teams with performances that, had they been more consistent over the season, would have planted us firmly in the top three, so the framework is there, but, the mentality with some players most certainly isn’t, so your comments above testify to that sad fact.
Do we need a psychiatrist to delve into the mentalities of our players who, away from home, cannot be bothered (or so it would appear) to turn up. I put it to the Scouts who don’t look at the whole package.
Many of you have suggested we need a LEADER in the team, an individual who can inspire the team, cajole them when necessary and yes, BE the on-field coach. We don’t have one, as we’ve all noticed, and the fact that EU had Ozil wearing the Captain’s armband was the act of someone who has not grasped the finer points of leadership.
Imo, footballers are paid excessive, eye-watering salaries and while on 4 or 5 year contracts don’t need to make an effort if they don’t feel like it.
That’s why Auba and Ozil are not my favourite players.
Wenger did some great things for the club but, like lots of famous entertainers, they don’t know when to stop and HE, left us in a right mess..
Evening Rico and the house.
I’m watching our u23’s smashing Leciester 3-9 (h/T)
Goals by Gilmore John Jules and Saka in first 12 mins
could be as many as 7or 8 nill
Its a pleasure to watch.
Should be 3-0
It finished 3 -0
Fantastic performance by Leciester Goaly.
He saved his side from complete humiliation.
Big day for the u18’s tomorrow.
Win away to Fulham and they will finish tops with the spuds 2nd.
As a foot note to the question about injuries affecting results, Arsenal Women will be crowned champions if they win at Brighton tomorrow. This after having seven first team players injured at the same time at one stage in the season.
The continual drip feed of injury and suspensions has taken their toll and I noticed a report today that we have been recipients of the most fouls against in the league . Apart from Rashford’s assault on Holding these have been the little niggly ones the ones that break our rhythm and force us back into another midfield square passing session. One day we might just lump it into the box and make the other team think for a change .
Cicero, shows how important squad depth is. Similar for the under 23’s who often lose their players to the first team. Only the first team squad seems to lack strength in depth.
There’s a thought Potter, shame we didn’t try that when we had Giroud. If only we had a quick striker now with the speed to beat defenders… oh, we do… lol
That fouling stat doesn’t surprise me at all.
Morning all.
‘morning Rico, the squad depth isn’t improved by the signing of players like Suarez (permanently injured) and Lichtsteiner (not Premiership quality).
It looks as though we’ve dodged a bullet. A Man U player we have been linked with is going to PSG, Ander Herrera. Phew! Another is looming on the horizon though, Eric Bailly. Hopefully he’ll opt for Lyon instead.
Here’s a thought, Athletico Madrid are desperate to offload Diego Costa, if we could sign him he’d put the fear of God into a few Premiership defenders and ours, Koscielny in particular, would be safe.
Morning all.
Rico, what you and Potter mention is exactly why I reckon Giroud was very underrated for us.
We hardly played a game suited to his style of play yet he always performed and always have his all:
Good footballer and great contributor for us. Imo.
If only all of players had his heart and gave his effort…..
Morning Cicero, I get why Emery signed Lich, we needed experience at the back and I doubt the plan was to play him much. His input off the pitch might have been in the thoughts of Emery too. Suarez though looks a bonkers addition, more bonkers by the day and I’d love to know whose idea it was..
He’s certainly got a couple of seasons left him yet Cicero..
Scott. I don’t think Giroud was underrated as a player as such, just that he didn’t fit into the system Wenger believed in. You sign a player like Giroud and play to his strengths, Wenger didn’t do that. France did.
Same with Nik Bendtner, scored lots for his country yet Wenger stuck him on the wings. I know you are against bringing Wenger into today’s Arsenal but the reality is, we’re in the mess we’re in now because of a lot of things he did.
I can’t argue with that Rico.
Morning Rico and the House.
Theres 5 Mins to go at fulham.
Goals by Campbal (76mins) and Balogun (81mins ) and we are allmost there
its 2-0
YeSSSSSSSSSS. They have done it.
Coyle made it 3-0 and we finish on top
Arsenal 60 points First
Spuds 59 points 2nd
I have waited 10 long years for this ,
Well done you Young Gunners.
Morning Rick, that’s great news. Well done young guns….
Well done the boys and thanks Rick for keeping up with it . Nothing beats the feeling when you sit in the dressing room , get your boots off and just stare at the pot you have just won. Hope they enjoy the moment , they deserve it.
Rico, I’d say he was very under rated by Arsenal fans.
He was a whipping boy quite often when we lost, and unfairly so, imo:
Bendtner-another wasted talent, though his own attitude did more damage to his career than Wenger ever did, but your point is fair.
Europa League final beckons, too 4 finish is being thrown away-not such a mess, really, though.
Could’ve been worse and realistically, it could have been better.
Well said Potter. I too enjoy and appreciate Ricks updates on the Academy matches..
Congratulations to the lads. Let’s hope the Women do the same tomorrow.
Fantastic news on the young guns-brilliant achievement and it’s great to see you enjoy the ride, Rick!!!
See Totts must make changes to their playing surface, as whoever designed it didn’t make any allowance for players taking corners, offering a mere 1 meters run up??
Where the turf ends, there’s a synthetic surface but on quite a steep slant and players have complained at how poorly designed it is.
Incredible.
Go Hammers!!!!
‘appy ‘ammers put a spanner in the Spuds works.
I’m not laughing at them, not until we beat Leicester….. lol
New post up now