Dat Guy Clinches First Win Of The Emery Era
Aug 26th, 2018 by 'holic
Aaron Ramsey got the nod to replace Mesut Ozil for the visit of West Ham United. He found the net with a close-range header early doors but it was rightly wiped out for offside, and we were slow to get going otherwise.
The visitors grabbed the lead when Anderson, unchallenged when running from deep, laid the ball back on the edge of the box for Arnautavic to drive home. A fine finish just past the mid-point of the half and no more than the visitors deserved at that point.
The Gunners were on level terms when Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hector Bellerin combined to create the opportunity for Nacho Monreal to drill home five minutes later. The first-half was proving what we all know about our state of transition right now. We are capable of attacking brilliance one minute, and defensive uncertainty the next.
We had Petr Cech to be grateful to for a fine save from the marauding Snodgrass as West Ham sought to re-establish the lead. At the other end Fabianski had to go full stretch to deny Skhodran Mustafi’s header at the start of the second-half. The former Gunner also produced a fine save from Alexandre Lacazette, a half-time substitute for Alex Iwobi, as we began to make our attacking dominance apparent.
Lacazette’s was largely responsible for us grabbing the lead when his volley on the turn was put past his own goalkeeper by Diop, under pressure from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Ahead with twenty minutes to go. It would be a nervous end game for us.
Fabianski denied Ramsey with a fine sprawling save but West Ham too continued to exploit the spaces left in behind Berlin and Monreal. We secured the three points when Bellerin’s cross in stoppage time found Danny Welbeck unmarked in front of the goal and he clinched the ‘holic pound with a clinical finish.
It would be wrong of me not to highlight the performance of the oft-maligned Granit Xhaka. He produced a near-faultless display, probably his best in an Arsenal shirt, as we struggled to stay in the match for much of the first-half.
The first three points of the Unai Emery era are on the board, and hopefully that will ease some of the nerves evident in that opening half. We head for Cardiff next Sunday with the expectation of building on the second-half performance of yesterday.
39 Responses to “Dat Guy Clinches First Win Of The Emery Era”
A fair summary Guvnor.
The report was earlier than I was
expecting after the 3-1 came in.
And people say Welbeck is useless.
Much as I saw it Guvna. Well done for highlighting a good performance by Xhaka. Enjoy your winnings.
Very good summary of the match Holic and a very fair point about Xhaka who played well.It was interesting to observe Jack against Xhaka and Guendouzi. He was pretty peripheral and lacked the passing acuity of Xhaka and the drive of young Matteo.
Emery will have learnt a lot from the three games.I think the defence is less a work in progress rather than a work not properly started on yet. Bellerin was excellent going forward but is a poor defender and Sokratis and Mustafi are too similar . Guendouzi is a wonderful find but we look more secure with Torreira in front of the defence and Lacazette adds hugely to our attacking potential. We must find a way to combine Aubameyang and Lacazette . I’m in favour of bringing in Leno too.
We need safe and steady for the next few weeks until we gain more confidence and rhythm
The people at the BBC weather site are utter bastards. Two weeks ago, against City, they confidently predicted rain through most of the match. I duly brought my coat. Of course it didn’t rain a drop. Yesterday they said virtually no chance of rain. So at 2.20, walking down Hornsey Road, the heavens opened to the extent that the terrace of the Tolly looked like a competition to see how many could fit under an umbrella was taking place. I was clad, in the upper regions, in a t shirt. Soaked.
Utter bastards.
The team caused some head scratching, specifically the omission of Torreira and Laca. We were very disjointed in the first half and the West Ham goal was a carbon copy of Sterling’s goal two weeks ago. Nacho popped up at the back post to score a typical Nacho goal. Things improved when Laca and Torreira came on, though I was disappointed when Auba got hooked for Danny. Ramsey got much more space when we had two up top. We bossed the second half like the Irons bossed the first. Once we went 2-1 up the confidence seemed to flow. However just like the second half of last season, I’m frustrated we’re not playing the ball over the top occasionally for the blistering pace of Auba and Laca. They’re making the runs, but are always ignored. We’re getting a bit predictable with always using an overlapping full back for a cross or cut back. Don’t get me wrong, that move is great, but can we mix it up a bit?
Finally, an apology. I may, in the past, have given the impression that Danny Welbeck can’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo. Yesterday he proved me wrong. Left in yards of space by Laca’s great near post run which dragged the defenders away, he successfully controlled the ball, spun and drove it into the net in front of me.
We’re off and running. Off to Wales next week.
What is it with Lacazette?
Arsene would usually start him and always drag him – he rarely finished a game.
Emery seems not to start him but brings him on later.
Can we please start with Laca and Auba together ffs.
UTA.
Fair summary, ‘Holic. The game live and the game on a stream seem to have been much the same curate’s egg.
TTG@3: Not much to disagree with there.
Re your exchange in the previous drinks with Steve T, Fabianski was always a good shot stopper when he was still with us. It was other aspects of his game that caused concern, hence the nickname. Cech is somewhat of a mixed bag this season. He has made crucial saves but could have done better with some of the goals conceded.
Noosa@5: Lacazette has played in 41 games, only 12 of which has he played all 90 mins.
Good summary.
I watched Xhaka closely throughout and agree that when we were going forward his distribution was excellent and he completed most of his passes. I saw him attempt several tackles and make one. He was at his worst every time West Ham had the ball and ran through our midfield. He seems to enjoy jogging along watching the action rather than trying to intervene. Watch the highlights and you’ll several examples of this.
Auba, Iwobi and Ozil are dedicated non-tacklers. Mkhi is an occasional. A jogging, non-tackling Xhaka may be one luxury too many in this porous defensive approach we’ve adopted.
IBtM
Absolutely right about Xhaka. Torreira is much better suited to the pivot role than him as he tackles and covers. Xhaka very rarely wins the ball or more importantly catches an attacking player running at us. We have a dilemma because while Guendouzi will be super in the pivot role in years to come he is not experienced enough to do it every week yet.
Elneny would probably be the best current partner for Torreira but that way lies less flow going forward.
If we were more secure in midfield then our defence might look a bit less transparent. We might also look better with Leno as a sweeper keeper.
TTG, I’ve heard that Cech is better with his feet than Leno is with his hands.
News item: La Liga officials investigate the pitch at Valladolid.
Sounds like something they should be leaving to the worms.
3 points but boy if we are going to leave the midfield as open like we did and defend as poorly as did, then god bless us, please.
We really need to tell our full backs especially Hector that his primary role is to defend, he can join in attacks, the game has changed now etc all that is fine but we really need him to defend. Mustafi is poor and I have said it so many times that I won’t from now on. Sokratis does not have the pace and nacho is our only defender and he is on his last legs. I understand this is work in progress but not buying a proper CB and an LB will hurt us bad( shudders).
Mhki was the only one who wanted to make things happen and Xhaka is more a ramsey than a torriera which we keep hoping for. Talking of those 2, Ramsey was poor and Torriera needs to start as Guendouzi had an afternoon to forget, he is a kid so it was bound to happen.
Finally, Ozil, well whats with him most may ask and the point is if we do not want to have him, we should sell him. All this daily nonsense of him being ill, had a row, has been asked to work harder etc is ridiculous. If Emery does not want him, please let him go but before you do, do see if you have anyone out there in the team who can replace him, the answer is no, so let us take this agenda driven propoganda off him, please.
“If we don’t have the ball we have
to make fouls then we don’t take
the counter-attack”
Socrates
Wise words from The Sage.
Course as iBtM pointed out
we don’t tackle much.
Finally, Ozil, well whats with him most may ask and the point is if we do not want to have him, we should sell him.
Nobody wanted him when he was able to sign on a free, on less wages with us than he gets now, so we are stuck with him.
Who’d buy him?
Vinay@12: I think Mustafi is playing better under Emery than he did under Wenger, at least he is playing more consistently. You may say that just means he is always poor. But, while I wouldn’t be adverse to an upgrade should one become available, as others have mentioned, neither centre-back is getting the protection from the DMs that they need. Even the best centre-backs look vulnerable when attackers can get a clear run at them. The combination of playing a high backline and Xhaka offers plenty of opportunities for that. I also think that Mustafi and Sokratis wouldn’t be getting as bad a rap as they are, were it not for their evident discomfort in adapting to Emery’s instructions to play out from the back. You could say, though, that playing endless horizontal passes back and forth across the edge of the penalty area was what we were doing in late-era Wenger; it is that that then it was across the edge of the opponents’ final third and now it is across our own.
3 points and the Holic pound comes in thanks to a Dead Shot Danny super strike. What’s not to like?
A couple of steps back before start making strides forward. It will come.
Very good point about Mustafi Ned. He will never be the answer to a maiden’s prayer at Centre back but apart from the atrocious defending for the Morata goal at Chelsea the two lads at CB have not been disastrously bad. There is definitely a player in Mustafi but he has brain farts like the one at Wembley in the Carabao Cup Final. Contrast that with the game he played in the North London Derby last November when he was superb in both areas or the brilliant volley he got at Selhurst Park. He’s a bit of a mystery.
The boy Sokratis impressed me most on Saturday with a very cunning foul to halt a West Ham breakaway in the last ten minutes . Cries of ‘good foul Sokratis’ echoed all around me as his shithousery was welcomed . Bobby Moore he isn’t but so far he’s not Igors Stepanovs either. Interesting to me that Holding not Mavropanos has been on the bench. Perhaps Emery wants more experience there but I liked what I saw last season and he has not played for the U23s so far. Maybe he has catarrh too? ?
Alexis on the bench for United
Lucky lucky Danny Rose
I hope Dele Alli dislocates all his fingers, should he score.
The gimmicky gimp.
Clear pen in that half for Spurs I thought?
Mou down 0-2 will of course throw on the big donkey Fellaini as last resort. Need a 2-2 FT please
Mou kicks a water bottle in frustration at OT. How many games was Wenger suspended for the same offense?
What joy to be a Spurs fan driving home tonight. Been there enjoyed that – there’s nothing better. As for Jose – start the car.
Spurs fans “Sanchez, Sanchez what’s the score?”
That is a huge night for Spurs. Their best result for 46 years at Old Toilet. I don’t think they’ve got a snowball’s chance of winning the league, but as I really don’t like Jose that is the result I wanted. Spurs will Spurs it up once twice a week football starts, just look at their bench tonight. Though I have to say, Moura was outstanding.
United now below us in the league.
Josegone by Christmas
When did we last win 3-0 (or by three goals) at OT, Ned?
Great to see the loathsome Mourinho under pressure but sad it has been applied by Tottenham. They have started well and sadly look like contenders.
BtM@27: Never. Last (and only) time we won an away game to Man U by three clear goals was April 27, 1909, when we were still Woolwich Arsenal: a 4-1 victory in the old First Division. But the Mancs were playing at Bank Street, Clayton then. They didn’t move to OT until the following year.
We’ve won only 15 games at Old Trafford, seven by 1-0, two by 2-0, three by 2-1, one by 3-1, and two by 3-2 .
Which adds up to only three wins there by more than a single goal since the first visit on Boxing Day, 1910 (a 5-0 drubbing). We did not get our first win there until February 28, 1920 (a one-nil)
We won three games (two league, one FA Cup) at Bank Street, but never beat the Mancs away when they were still Newton Heath.
Draw would have been better but
a Maureen meltdown is fun in its
own special way 🙂
Not bothered about the spuds as
they’ll fuck up same as they do
most every season.
The boss obviously rates Holding as he let Calum
go off to Fulham and kept Holding as first
reserve CB rather than Mavropanos. Can’t say
I’d have rated the three in that order but what
do I know.
Off to Cardiff next and unless Wannock has changed
his spots we’ll need a disciplined performance- they’re
bound to try and wind Xhaka up.
Spurs didn’t look that special in the first half before Pochettino changed his tactics after half-time. If Lukaku had not missed the open goal after rounding LLoris following Rose’s weak back pass, there might have been a different result to the game.
Is it wrong to pity jose??? that’s what I feel for him, pity for a second and loathsome all other times. His press conference as ever was a disgrace and the respect he talks about is a two-way street.
@North Bank Red, i agree to the midfield leaving our defense exposed way too often but the basic defending of Mustafi reminds me a lot of Squillaci and Silvestre way too often, too eager to win everything, positionally unaware and usually no communication with your partner. Sokratis i have hope but pace or the lack of it is the concern.
So pool, chelsea and spurs all have 3 wins, city a draw, i know early days but will this be the pattern, i am not convinced about spurs and chelsea though.
Thanks for these results, Ned, you are a wonderful resource for this bar. Much appreciated.
Agree that Spuds weren’t great in the first half, but there is a steeliness in many of their players that we lack at the moment. Also they should have had a penalty and Ali’s dithering wasted a great chance.
Ned
May I echo IBtM’s praise and thanks . You are an astonishing and very amiable resource if I may refer to you like that and I’m always grateful for your research and opinions.
I agree about the Totts but they are a much more established team than we are. ‘Work in progress ‘ is the perfect description. Our hope is that the progress is rapid and coherent
One last thought is that we still haven’t heard from CHRIS. I really miss his opinions ! I do hope he is ok
Out in Majorca on family holiday and only managed to watch a brief PL highlights package of the game on Spanish TV – looked pretty confortable but reading these comments and chatting to an unhappy Hammer out here who saw the whole game maybe not so much !?
Will be back in Blighty for the Cardiff game ; back t o the ice cold Estrella for now – 30 plus in the shade today..
The monks do research? I thought they knew it all off the tops of their heads. 😉
Fancy free VIP tickets to see the AFC Legends play Real Madrid Legends?
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