Punchless Gunners Humiliated Again
Oct 21st, 2019 by 'holic
A surprising selection saw Unai Emery play the same team as last time out with the exception of Joe Willock in for Dani Ceballos. Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Lucas Torreira, and Alex Lacazette all started on the bench.
The hosts started on the offensive but a break for Nicolas Pepe and his cross was inches away from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the box. Sokratis Papastathopoulos got the wrong side of Egan and was clearly hauled back by the shirt, but who really expected Mike Dean to award the blatant penalty?
Fleck’s late chop on Aubameyang brought about the first yellow card of the evening. Mercifully the goalscorer was able to continue, albeit treading carefully for a while. Against the run of play Pepe starting a glorious counter-attack but he squandered the opportunity from a Kolasinac cross at the conclusion of a free-flowing move.
A the half hour arrived we once again fell apart at the back post. The ball was headed across the face of goal by O’Connell and there was an unmarked Mousset for the simplest of tap-ins. Welcome to a struggling side, The Arsenal, let’s gift them an opener.
Basham appeared to upend Bukayo Saka. It looked as though an ankle was clipped but Saka made the most of the contact and somewhat harshly received a yellow card. Freddie Ljungberg saw the same card for the vehemence of his protest at the hapless officials. O’Connell’s blatant body check on Pepe saw yet another booking dished out.
As the half drew to a close Xhaka tried his luck with a long range volley which was comfortably parried clear by Henderson in the Blades goal. The same player’s header from the resulting corner popped over join of bar and post and yet another poor half from The Gunners drew to a disappointing close.
The introduction for the second-half of Dani Ceballos in place of Willock was only to be expected. Would that provide us with the shred of creativity sorely missing until this point? Mousset’s handball when unmarked again at the far post was both a let-off and another warning. We had started the half with more control of possession then at any other point but again no bite from outside the box.
Mousset was withdrawn and local boy Sharp was thrust into the Blades attack. He almost immediately set the rampaging Baldock free at the far post but a hurried drive sliced wide of the target. At last an opportunity fell our way but Ceballos hit tamely at Henderson. 1-0 it remained. Fleck was not far from doubling the advantage but his rasping drive found the wrong side of the side-netting.
At least Dean displayed a degree of consistency when booking McGoldrick for diving when untouched by Matthieu Guendouzi. At long last Emery sent Lacazette into the action with just over twenty minutes remaining. Why it had taken this long goodness only knows. Xhaka was rightly hooked.
Twice in quick succession Pepe tried his luck. A free-kick was pouched comfortably by Henderson and a follow-up went wide of the mark. In the aftermath Henderson was the latest to find himself in Dean’s notebook for time-wasting. The final change for the visitors saw Gabriel Martinelli sent on for the luckless Pepe. A familiar face, Luke Freeman came on for United’s McGoldrick. We poured yellow shirts forward but still there was too much, forward, back, sideways, further sideways.
The Yorkshiremen made one last change with McBurnie replacing Norwood. Fresh legs with less than five minutes to go. Sokratis picked up a yellow for his challenge on the aforementioned McBurnie. The ball was deep in Arsenal territory with three minutes remaining. That was pretty much where it remained until the added five minute which predictably went the way of what had gone before. Calum Chambers was carded for dissent and the better team saw out a deserved victory.
If you normally come here for a dash of perspective then I apologise. I now tire of a team that isn’t playing a style of football the sum of which it’s individual parts should most certainly deliver much. much better. Emery will surely get the rest of the season to deliver more, but if we mess up for a second consecutive season then it will be hard to argue for him getting a final season. It feels as though this would be that finale under those circumstances.
212 Responses to “Punchless Gunners Humiliated Again”
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129% possession and couldn’t hit a barn door
Dreadful
Blimey that was quick
Guvnor
Agree entirely with that summary.
Thanks H. Tough one
All poo poos and wee wees
‘ave we sacked Venga yet?
You know, the banishment of Ozil would be somewhat comprehensible if we were a high intensity, gegenpressing team.
We are not.
Not that Ozil’s presence would have made any difference.
For all sorts of reasons this is the first match this season that I’ve actually seen in its entirety. It appears that I’ve missed absolutely nothing. We decided to leave Tierney and Holding on the bench and play Sokratis and Kolasinac instead? Xhaka? I mean just why? I would rather play with 10. He is a liability all over the pitch.
I must admit, I’m very much with you H. I’m struggling to see anything that has changed. We still can’t defend and the way we deal with that is to try and play out from the back???
On that showing it may be a while before I tune in and watch another. I certainly won’t be bothering to go to an 8:15 kick off on a Thursday night, just to satisfy viewers on Amazon Prime.
Exactly what I saw Holic, thank you for the quick well written report.
I’m tired of repeating myself again and again like a broken record. If the management can’t see what the fans are seeing then they should go down to Specsavers I don’t think you need more evidence what has just unfolded.
No effort, static, no game plan whatsoever, clueless manager and emptyness.
Feel sorry for those who went up there the club should refund their tickets and travel expenses , abysmal shit show. Today was one those when Auba was so isolated he couldn’t do jack shit on his own.
Wilder coached the arse off Emery tonight. He’s got a good, consistent team shape with a well-disciplined defence and willing runners upfront. Xhaka’s ability to play attackers onside close to goal is remarkable and Mousset couldn’t miss.
Then knowing that we have so little real creativity they dropped deep and scarcely gave us a chance. Guendouzi ran his arse off and Ceballos occasionally did something worthwhile but people know my views on the coach.
Holic sums it up sensibly and fairly but it’s seven months until the end of the season. Seven months of picking the wrong teams, of playing it out stupidly from the back, of having meaningless and toothless possession and failing to defend like a proper , professional defence.
Still Alex Scott may win Strictly so silverware will be on the horizon . Can’t see much else
Two woeful halves, Holic. Poor substitution decisions. Arsenal certainly don’t deserve to be in third position tonight and will be fortunate indeed to finish in a top four spot on the evidence of tonight and several other performances this season. No team that starts Xhaka and Kola should expect a top four.
Are top 4’s still a trophy? Is it time for the knuckle draggers to burn good money to fly aeroplanes over the stadium trailing banners?
I still don’t know what this team could do if we picked the best XI.
Virtually everybody fit and yet
No Tierney
No Holding
No Bellerin
No Torreira
No Laca (only came on with 20 to go)
And yet does play the frankly calamitous Xhaka, Kola and Papa.
The cup team is becoming the 1st XI and now everybody is fit they have to be picked.
Palace up next. Anybody confident if he picks tonight’s team?
Quoting from Arseblog tweet:
Last 10 away games in the Premier League under Emery:
LWLLW (18-19)
WLDDL (19-20)
11 points from 30.
This is shocking for a club like Arsenal despite what everyone says and the management should sort it out pronto!
[…] Original article: https://goonerholic.com/2019/10/punchless-gunners-humiliated-again/ […]
Just another flaccid display. What exactly is the plan, Unai? The players seem to know that there is no real plan, and they’re playing that way.
The board should come to there senses and get rid of Emery ASAP. Then I can’t believe I’m going to type this! Bring in José Mourihno, as a stop gap till the end of season.
2 clean sheets in our last 24 away games? 8 wins in 24?
I was shocked. I don’t remember us keeping a clean sheet???
We were so negative today it’s overwhelming I could smell a loss from miles away.
I haven’t watched this match as I have been traveling but I did watch all of our previous games, live or recorded. We seem to be getting on by the exact reverse of the sporting mantra of focusing on the performance and result will take care of itself. In the PL at least there really hasn’t been any noticeable self-correction in performance from one game to another, either tactically or at an individual level. Auba is not going to score 1 goal from 2 chances in each game. After 9 matches our goal difference is +1. So if we keep this ratio up our GD at the end of the season will at max be +5. That cannot equate to any presentable points tally. We are playing mostly unwatchable football. Not really even “boring” in the defensive but predictable, consistent sense. The lack of any coherence is shocking. Unfortunately, Emery is turning out to be a bit of a chicken when it comes to the league, given the trepidation with which we set up in away matches against all teams.
If this carries on I don’t think he will last the distance. We are Arsenal and do thing classy way, but given the massive investment and the streak of ruthlessness in our new executives I don’t think Emery will be given too much chance. If we haven’t improved noticeably by the holidays will anyone really be able to blame Raul and co. if Emery gets replaced?
How can anyone possibly still think Unai is the right man to take us forward? In every single department we are far, far worse than in Wenger’s final years. The statistics back this up 100%, not that we’re relying on stats to reach that conclusion
So many problems , what is UE asking his players to do ?
I’ve watched football and Arsenal for years and never been so disappointed in what they are dishing up , no tactics , shape and what’s happened to commitment .
I’ve always been told be careful what you wish for and a lot of people were happy when we got a new manager we’ll we’ve got a cracker running Arsenals first team at the moment WTF no clue
Xhaka, Kola and Sokratis are all liabilities. Pepe needs to find form but he is wildly misused in the ‘system’ we play so I’m not chomping at the bit to call him crap.
The thing is we have a lot of great attacking talent and never look like scoring. Xhaka’s presence creates a hole in our midfield, we can’t break teams down and we don’t counter quickly.
Emery is a nice guy and I’ve tried to be patient but we play cluelessly. As usual I disagree with Arthur’s assessment that we don’t try. I see plenty of effort but it is wasted as we have no system, no style, nothing drilled into them to fall back on and that’s all down to Emery.
I actually think he might get lucky and stumble on a system that works well enough for us to have a decent season and get top four. But Edu and Raul need to get looking at who is available for next season. Tonight was pitiful. Again.
Also, made worse by a two- week interlull wait only to watch that dross. I’m almost looking forward to the next one.
Steady on Grant.
There are a lot of coaches
out there.
I understand the views of
some that we should act
now to make a change and
frankly there is an argument
for doing exactly that but
it is not our way generally
and I’d be surprised if it
happened.
We will have to hope that
this performance will push
UE into making changes.
To be fair I think he did
have a plan tonight – it
wasn’t a plan I liked but
there was one.
He is not the right man to take us forward.
There is no evidence that the team is learning from its mistakes.
There is no evidence of a team identity.
There is little evidence of team cohesiveness on the field of play.
The team plays with little intensity, and is ill equipped to deal with the stresses of being a contender.
If we were dominating games and creating loads of chances I would have been inclined to be patient.
That is not the case
OM.
Maybe his plan was to make us play so badly that Grant lost the plot and called for us to hire Mourinho. Thus cleverly reminding us all that there are much worse fates than seeing out the rest of this season with Emery in the dugout.
Evening H
I share your misery.
I defy anyone in the bar to defend the Manager after that abysmal effort,compounded by a quite baffling team selection that defied belief.
I don’t blame the players,as without a proper structure and framework,and a clear game plan to work within, it is very difficult to play cohesive flowing football.
To have a journeyman championship side’s supporters taking the piss out of our team is humiliating.
I’m afraid Emery lost my support at the tail end of last season,when i felt he put his own personal desires ahead of what was best for the Club.
Quite at what point the idea germinated that with 3 previous Trophies,he was going to go all in to win the Europa League again,to show the Club Board that he was the man to make Arsenal great again,and win a Trophy in his first season to emulate Arsene, i don’t know.
But the players certainly got the message,given the paucity of their league performances in between the Cup games.
Chelsea were very very lucky to get past Frankfurt in the 2nd leg semi at the Bridge on penalties,but that was because they were still giving everything to secure a top 4 spot in the league.
So guess which side was the more composed and relaxed in the Final,knowing they had already secured CL football,and played accordingly.
Emery will come out with usual platitudes post match,but i am afraid i have stopped listening to the drivel he serves up.
I know i will upset a few Emery stalwarts in the bar,but i cannot see how,even with a full squad to choose from that he can take the Club forward.
DF,
Top drink and you deserve a real one for that comment! Off to the Palace game with my son next weekend hopefully it will be a different approach but I’m not holding my breath.
Hi Holic,
Agree with the team being less than the sum of its part.
I just saw Mousset was left unmarked for SU’s goal when we had 10 players defending that corner, such defensive naievity is obviously infuriating, but even worse is the lack of attacking ideas and identity.
We never look like getting between the lines of the opposition and majority of time end play from cb to cm and then wide to the full backs ad nauseum. Sokratis, Luiz, guendouzi and xhakha roll the ball amongst themselves while the attacking spine (willock, auba) is far away from them.
This results in either us humping the ball forward (post opposition press) and losing possession or in case we manage to swap sides, we are then reliant on Chambo or Kola to create. But while things did not work out today for the former, the latter was unlucky Pepe forgot that he has a right foot!!
So while we wait for our attacking FBs to get fit, we need our #10 and CM’s to be able to get between the lines and get our 150mn plus forwards into the game.
The lack of attacking identity and cohesive plan even after 1.5 years with the team looks pretty, pretty bad on our UE and unfortunately Auba wasnt there to cover our Arse today!
So gutted to be contemplating missing out on top 4 with a well balanced squad and weak totts, united and spurs.
Over to you UE.
I’d love a penny for Arsene’s thoughts,as he watched that utter tosh post Dinner,with a glass of Red and a selection of French Cheeses.
And Mesut’s for that matter.
I couldn’t agree more with GSD he nails the players that are clear liabilities not just in ability but in terms of attitude and common sense. Xhaka is our f…ing captain. What sort of example is he ?
Answer a very bad one. Worse captain since Gallas but at least Gallas had some ability.
I also believe Clive is right about Emery. I got very hysterical about him a few weeks ago and accepted Countryman’s view that we needed to see our best defence but he had the chance to pick it tonight and he didn’t…and even if he had he can’t organise a defence to save his life.
Ask yourself this. Would you expect Emery to beat this Arsenal side with that collection of Sheffield United players?
Tonight I was reminded of the bad old away days at places like Bolton and Stoke. Although unlike those two Sheffield actually played football and their manager seems like a decent bloke.
Crazy team selection and no Plan B…
New Day, the real problem is that there’s no Plan A to begin with.
well that was unfortunate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6c6eUeoa9Q
well that was fortunate
If this team cannot beat Sheffield United, then we can not only forget about top four, but top seven. Emery will still manage Arsenal next season, because Raul doesn’t care. But I want to see the look on Emery’s face when he realizes he won’t have his beloved Europa League to fall back on, and will to have his third season judged solely on his domestic record, because that will be all he will have.
it’s sad
when the fate of our club
comes down to sarky “can’t wait to tell you so”
it’s just so sad
.
and
just you remember who told you this first
?
.
.
.
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTWYapCe7UQ
.
.
anyhoo
other news
couldn’t get the beach today
long story
so
.
.
.
smoked
and
listened to records
.
BRILLIANT stuff
i recommend it
.
i sold most of mine but what is left is an indication either of what i didn’t want to sell or what i know unfortunately to be the case – people just don’t like anything good
?
.
is it still ok to play the glitter band
.
.
stupid questions like that
nitwits
what the fuck did those fellas do ?
fuck all
except
some great tunes
though
should you watch around hard of thinking people
don’t try to convince them with totp clips
and the word glitter
.
nothing sets a moron alight
more than getting it wrong
considering the djs on there
.
.
so
the answer is yes
the glitter band are still cracker
.
.
but restrict access to people without one or more feet in their dinner
anyhoo
cheerio
so
bye bye
Oh dear. These are not points that we can afford to drop when there is likely to be only a smattering of points between third and seventh come the end of the season.
GSD,
I liked your comment just as everyone else in this fine establishment.
The one from me with no effort and no application, just look how badly we operate and transition from the back. There is no movement on the pitch and we look very static. No penetrarion, defenders have no option but to boot it up front.
I have seen it too many times perhaps it’s a bit of an effort but a lazy version if you aks me and not what I expect from these players. There is no desire, no fight and hunger in this team and that is down to the manager.
Just saw Unai’s post match interview and I’m lost for words, how can you even say we didn’t deserve to loose this game? What have you been smoking?
The only bit of desire came from the sideines when Freddie got booked other than that I didn’t see anything magnificent from these players (under his instructions).
If Ozil is fit and he praises the guy why not use him for this type of games is beyond belief.
Ok unai you won’t play ozil, pray why won’t you play torreira? what did he do now? You can do as many PPT’s as you want but xhaka and guendouzi in the midfield is a joke, neither play of each others strength and they become obvious liabilities to the team. For all the hate xhaka gets, Matteo leaves him in the lurch way too often as well, it is not his fault, he is expected to do all in this extraordinary system that unai plays, don’t ask me what that is.
What did ceballos do yesterday? if he was brought in to create then he did nothing, he retained possession which was good but no end product, the only players who did something yesterday was saka and pepe and in the end that was not enough.
We have no identity, listless in our approach play, do not play front foot football and rely heavily on auba or lacazette to score somehow and save the day, if this was the PPT blueprint, then I wonder how our board got convinced, tired and bored with this.
During play yesterday I followed the blog which I rarely do and the suggestion was made that we fire Emery and hire Mourinho until the end of the season to fix our defence.
This is wrong on so many levels. Like Zlatan , Mourinho doesn’t do auditions and while he might organise our defence he tends to like to spend money extravagantly and leaves clubs he works at in an ultimate state of chaos. Arsenal is pretty well run nowadays after the nightmare that was the end of the Gazidis/ Wenger era and we don’t need the disharmony he would bring for dubious short-term gain. He also isn’t known for flowing attacking football. One of Emery’s problems is the lack of style or creativity, I think he is producing football as dull as the dog days of George Graham with Hillier, Jensen , Carter and Selley in midfield. The only ‘ creative ‘ play appears to be between Leno and the back four. With two minutes to go we took thirty seconds to get the ball thirty yards upfield . It is not Citeh type stylish risk-taking with a degree of assurance and quality it is naive and hesitant .
If we do eventually look for a new coach he must play intelligent, attractive football. Young coaches like Graham Potter and Eddie Howe are much better at this but we may have an answer on the touchline already in Freddie.
GSD@23
A cunning plan ?
I unwittingly nicked the 50.
I’ll raise the bat sheepishly
like a man whose team are
slumping to an innings
defeat baa baaah
I thought Sheff Utd looked
better than us at playing
the ball out from the back
last night. How bad is that?
We set up to contain them
and nick a goal on the
counter. It’s a terrible plan
but we’ve seen it in every
away game. As others have
said we have no creativity.
UE must now make changes,
not just in the team but also
in approach – I have no
confidence that he will.
I just hope we can bounce
back, Laca starts next game
with Auba and they can get
enough goals for us.
I did comment a couple of weeks ago that UE would take many games to get our long term injured players back into the EPL side , and that most people thought we were playing 75% short of our best defence no Tierney , Holding and Bellerin .
I didn’t expect lots of changes but not one so what we reckon is nothing like UE wants for this team , would those 3 players make any difference in how we played last night I don’t think so .
It’s his set up , shape and tactics which nullifies all the players natural abilities can only think he over complicates everything
What on earth is Emery talking about?
“We had more than them(possession I guess), but we know they are a strong team in that situation and they use it to win matches. In other situations throughout the 90 minutes I think we controlled it in moments to create more chants. We didn’t score tonight, but if we played another match like tonight, I think it’s more easy to achieve the points.”
Seriously?
It a mess and will get worse as the season goes on…
Everything will be fine again when we thump the mighty Vitoria Guimaraes 4-0 on Thursday.
Still numb after that shit show last night. But looking forward to watching a proper team on Thursday.
But I completely agree with TTG. No Mourinho ever ever ever.
Cheers Arthur@ 46.
I think it’s just a question of how we perceive the problems we are seeing. I see it less as a lack of effort and more as a complete confusion about what they are supposed to be doing and/or an on-field understanding that whatever the coach has told them to do does not work. I agree with Vinai that Guen and Xhaka do not complement each other even remotely, and this is what leaves our number ten isolated. There is always a huge diamond of space between Guendouzi and number 10.
Emery has no reasonable basis to insist that we keep on trying the same disfunctional tactics and lineup. Jettison Kola, Sokratis and Xhaka. Play Tierney, Holding and Torreira. Tell Torreira to hold his position, let Guen come forward more. Move the ball quicky in the counter. When we come up against stubborn defences that sit back we try to play the ball into the feet of strikers with their backs to goal or we play it to Pepe on the wing who only has to dribble past 4 defenders and he is in on goal. We need runners from midfield to give us some dynamism and pull static defences out of position.
Yesterday our best attacking option was trying to get Chambers into a crossing position. And not from the byline, just somewhere wide on the right that even Sheffield United thought was sufficiently unlikely to cause them a problem that they simply kept their shape and trusted, quite correctly, that they could deal with it.
I honestly don’t think a lack of defensive application from Mesut would make the slightest difference to our crap defending and if we had Torreira and Guen behind him then I’d get him in the team.
It is clear to every man and his dog that we need to change what we are doing. If we get lucky even Emery will realise this and will stumble on something effective. Unfortunately I have no confidence that he will change a damn thing.
I do think Bellerin and Tierney would make a big difference. They both get to the byline and cross well. We desperately need that way to goal back in our team.
And I cannot express how much damage I think Kola does. He is a terrible defender, gives away fouls and although he gets upfield and makes a few crosses they are inconsistent. His runs and interplay are also so poor that he routinely makes the least of space down the left. If he makes three crosses in a game, only one of which is any good, then Tierney would make six or seven and at a higher completion rate. Oh, and he would defend. What a novelty.
Your comments @ 57, 58 are spot on, GSD. Emery would do well to read, absorb and implement all that you recommend. Like you, however, I have little confidence that he will ‘change a damned thing’ other than replacing Kolasinac with Tierney which is a must for the Palace and Wolves games or we’ll be dismembered again in both.
I’m going to the next three games. I’ve really enjoyed the Thursday nighters. Although they’ve been against lesser opposition, it has been great to see us play some of the pulsating, flowing football that used to be a hallmark. I’m not optimistic that I’ll enjoy the Palace or Wolves games. The prospect of yet another Bournemouth second half type performance looms large.
I don’t think Bellerin is quite ready to start yet. I’ll be happy to see him get runs on Thursdays and maybe late substitutions for the next few weeks. He will certainly add when fully fit.
Kola, Xhaka and Sokratis will not survive beyond the end of this season whether Emery stays or goes. More disappointingly for me, Ozil’s days are also numbered.
Against defensive teams, why don’t we go back to the future with an old fashioned 4-4-2?
Leno
Hector
Holding
Side show Bob
Tierney
Torreira
Guendouzi
Saka
Lacazette
Auba
Pepe
If you prefer a 4-4-3 swap out Saka for Ozil.
Not strong enough in midfield for top teams, so strengthen there – several options.
Obviously the performance was so bad yesterday that is where our focus has been. But it is also so disappointing that we failed to register any points, keep ahead of the chasing pack as we get points on the board and put the pressure on them. It was such a good opportunity to stay clear of our rivals and we wasted it.
I haven’t felt so hopeless about the chances of us moving forward on the pitch for a long time.
Some really top notch comments in the bar today and I agree with all that have contributed.
A large glass of żubrówka for everyone!
GSD @ 61
I feel you pain this was an opportunity and as usual we fucked it up, don’t want to sound too negative but how on earth are we supposed to get points away from home at Leicester?
It just feels the manager cannot pick his best 11 available. Surely the vast majority of us here cannot be wrong when it comes to team selection. We are not pros but cannot be that off.
What happened to Torreira, why can’t he be the first choice in midfield?
Pepe might still come good but guess he’s finding the PL hard, or/and the system used does not suit him.
Ceballos, apart from his game for us, haven’t seen much to be impressed, huffing and puffing but no end result, no creativity.
If the fullback are ready why not play them, at least some of the minutes. Start with them, build a lead maybe and then replace if needed as a precaution.
I know we have lost many games with Ozil, but play him in some of the games. As it stands, we do not have a creator other than him. As mentioned earlier, it’s not like the rest of the teams are working their socks off.
It is the manager’s job to encourage his team, and to sold them when things are not working. Especially when you see the players not giving two f….
I’m OK with loosing to a better team (not really :-)) but not giving your 100% that’s unacceptable. We can see that most of the players do not play with passion.
Some good drinks above, including GSD’s much-praised comments. I have seen only the highlights — a short video. Surely we have the quality to take the game to a side like Sheffield United rather than playing deep and hoping to hit them on the counter? The lack of away wins is its own evidence of the need to change the approach. It is in games like this that we miss Ramsey’s runs through the lines from midfield.
I wonder, though, what might have happened had Pepe scored from Kolasinac’s cross on 20 mins. The man badly needs a break.
The defending for their goal was sloppy. Chambers lost his man, who then won the ball at the far post, while Mousset, who was marking Leno, was not picked up from the moment the corner was taken.
100% with TTG and C100 on no Mourinho.
Ozil in my opinion is no solution to our woes. If we want to inject and/or maintain hope into the team I say continue to put faith in the young players.
Put me into the definitely undecided camp about Emery, but the definitely no camp about Mourinho.
And if the powers that be decide Emery is not up to the job, I say please consider the other side of the equation, namely the timing of the availability of someone we could reasonably hope to do a better job. Since that side of the equation is unknown to any of us, that leaves the option of getting right behind the team and not showing weakness to our opponents.
But as to the question of why Emery picked Xhaka as his captain, let alone why he plays him every week, I have no answers. I have criticized Xhaka in the drinks as a detriment to the team many times, and his elevation to the captaincy is baffling to say the least.
My comments about Xhaka may be a contradiction to the spirit of my previous drink at #67, and if so I apologize for speaking out of both ends of my mouth at the same time. But this is a case in my opinion of recognizing what is right and wrong about our performances on the pitch, and either sitting on it or acting to make things better.
Wenger and Emery may agree about Xhaka but I think both of them have made the wrong choices.
Holic and I were standing only yards away when Ramsey thumped the ball into a Wembley net for Arsene’s final Cup win. We both concluded then that it was a great note for him to finish on. He chose not to go and within months we witnessed Spud-like marches, demos and air polluting turboprops pulling ludicrous banners across the sky.
Wembley again and we were thumped by City. (You’ll recall the Aguero goal that Mustafi decided to complain about rather than defend). The mood on the train into town was sewer-like as were some of the Arsenal fans in the carriage. In the teeth of ‘anyone would be better than that c*nt’, I feared the loss of my virginity for having the temerity to suggest that it might be better to choose a replacement wisely before simply dumping Wenger in the gutter.
Wenger went and appeared relieved in the end to do so. Emery arrived and within minutes was hailed as a much better coach to a chorus of ‘We’ve got our Arsenal back’. Oh yeah? Well maybe, depends on your point of view.
I’m not convinced by Emery. I do wish him success and want him to achieve top four. But GSD appears more able to look at the evidence gleaned from over 50 games and propose a better path forward than Unai does. That really shouldn’t be the case and doesn’t inspire great confidence. We laughed at the prospect of Brendan Rogers arriving but, on the evidence at hand, he’s making a better fist of things at Leicester.
It’s too early to be thinking of another change of coach. Mourinho never, (i.e. I will never attend a game where the Special Needs One coaches Arsenal). But bt8 is correct, if the time comes it will be critical to ensure that it is the right time and that the right candidate is available. No more ‘anyone could do better’ and aeroplanes polluting the sky please.
I will continue to get right behind the team as recommended.
Sitting in a train idly speculating on
potentially better coaches. Stream of consciousness rambling but all are feasible
Allegri
Nagelsmann
Vieira
Rodgers
Howe
Potter
Arteta
Ljungberg ( gamble)
Ancelotti
Deschamps
Pochettino ( ?)
Favre
Montemurro
Element of flippancy in some but most would coach Emery’s ears off
Oh why did I choose to make last night this seasons first away trip with the Norfolk Gooners, seven of us made the journey to Bramall Lane .
When we saw the lineup in the pub we knew what we were in for, a disjointed, leaderless rabble devoid of ideas playing against a well drilled defence, playing timid, crab like football. Fielding virtually the same 11 as prior to the interlul was a crime by Emery when he had talent ready to go on the bench and which I hope to see on Thursday. The man is risk adverse and is never going to give us entertaining football. It used to be fun going to football, those days seem light years away.
Last night there was no non stop singing and chanting in the away section but sad to say I think we all knew the final outcome as soon as United scored. Auba didn’t have one scoring opportunity the entire game, he must be wondering if he is in the right job, what a waste of talent. Surely Ozil must be given an opportunity on Sunday and when are we going to see Tierney in the PL, changes must be made.
Emery is a disaster, I can’t wait to see the back of him.
Ned @65. If Pepe had scored we might have gone on to win. But if Bournemouth had scored when they got round Leno we might have lost that. We are perpetually only one pivotal moment away from a win or a loss, and those moments will not consistently fall for any team enough times to finish top 4. Performances have to be strong enough that even if Dean gives a newly promoted side a dodgy penalty we still win 2-1 or 3-1.
Top stuff from bt8, BTM and Delia (what a gutting day out).
I’m on board with supporting both the team and the manager fully.
I have hope that he can turn this around. But at the start of the season I expected him to mould a team that had a character, shape and style. I do not anymore. I don’t think he is going to be the guy who uses our currently excellent squad to get us where we want to be. That’s really gutting. I was excited when he was announced but it just has not come good and I see nothing to suggest change is just around the corner.
TTG. I’d choose Allegri by a country mile. Ancelloti second choice.
I’m surprisingly impressed by Rodgers at Leicester but expect him to stay there for at least a couple of seasons and wouldn’t really want him with us as I have the idea he’s a bit of a bellend (I have never met him, so what do I know?)
Honestly, I’d give Unai until the next Interlull and if we haven’t picked up the points from winnable games (especially if we keep playing how we are) and if we could get Allegri to sign, then I’d just bite the bullet and do it. I’ve seen enough of this dross. BTM was kind enough to agree with my tactical ideas but he is absolutely right that the manager of Arsenal should be leagues ahead of me in identifying our problems. Emery does nothing and they get worse.
Wenger got the best out of average squads for a long time. Emery is getting little out of a squad better than Wenger had in his last decade.
I actually like the guy quite a lot. I certainly won’t be banging my drum to get rid of him. I’ll be at the Palace game (cheers TTG) and both he and the team will have my full and vocal support.
I am seriously disillusioned though and I’m looking forward to seeing this lot live for the first time this season and seeing the whole pitch and what the hell is going on. I wish I had Chris’ TV, cos on mine we look bereft.
Oh, and cba @35.
Agree totally. We could all do without that.
(Even the idea that Raul does not care is, frankly, bizarre)
Thanks for the report Delia.
A sad read but given the
situation very understandable.
Arteta from that list for me
TTG. Don’t think we can get
Allegri just now.
ttg, gmail has farked me. are you on fb? i can’t send an email, but will at least send you my european number via dave on fb messenger…dave, would you be so kind as to pass it along, if ttg isn’t on fb? thanks.
Excellent, measured, interesting posts in the bar from the usual suspects above.
I was musing before posting,about our first 9 league games performance wise,and i could find very little that inspired confidence.
A workmanlike win at Newcastle to start the season.
A somewhat fortuitous win over a surprisingly enterprising Burnley at the Ems.
A nightmare at Anfield,where we spent most of the game cowering in fear in our own half trying to avoid another shellacking.
2 points thrown away against a very poor Spuds side at the Ems.
Then the debacle at Vicarage Road,where we throw away a rather fortunate 2 goal lead, and our Captain blithely tells the press that our players were scared of Watford,and we are lucky to escape with a point.
This the same Watford team that then went to the Etihad and got smashed 8 nil. !!
Then another great escape at home to just promoted Villa when we come from behind with 10 men,yes some would say that showed guts and determination,but my question would be why the fuck we were behind at home in the first place.
Then a soporific mind numbing game at the Old Toilet,where we put 9 men behind the ball for most of the match,and we eke out a point against a bang average Utd team.
Then a game of 2 halves at home to Bournemouth,where we play well in the first half,and then for some bizarre reason according to Emery,we lose all confidence in the 2nd and hang on for a 1 nil win.
Then to Monday night in Sheffield,and a completely clueless,embarrassing defeat to a workmanlike Utd,who we had 65 minutes against to respond to their goal in the 30th minute,and produced sweet fuck all.
In all of the above, the only kernel of the real Arsenal i could find,was in the fightbacks against our NL neighbors and Villa.
I don’t count the first half against Bournemouth,as that was more about them being dreadful.
15pts from those first 9 games,is a very poor start to the first qtr of the season.
Quite where we go from here,i have no idea,but to me we are looking more like a top ten side than one that aspires to the CL places.
Are the players as confused as i am at the Manager’s tactics and team selections. ??
And sorry to pass on the news to BTM,but Emery when asked why Tierney wasn’t selected on Monday night,replied that Kola hadn’t done anything wrong to lose his place. !!
So expect our new quality left back to be lining up on Thursday night.
God give me strength.
Some interesting comments above but I don’t think we need to hit the panic button just yet. I will be amazed if Emery departs our club at anytime in the near future. He will surely get this season at least?
I can’t say I’m a massive fan and the jury is still very much out. We seem to take steps forward and then fall back again. The defence needs sorting and fast. Both Tierney and Bellerin need to start games. Holding needs to come in for Sokratis. Only then can we start to judge how we will look at the back.
The midfield is just a mystery. Like almost everyone, I just do not get how Xhaka gets into the match day squad, let alone start as captain. Ozil remains the biggest mystery. Does he really want to play? Or is he just happy picking up £1.5 million each month for doing virtually nothing? At times on the pitch he has been outstanding. But all too often he goes missing.
I thought Pepe showed signs yesterday of what, with the right brief, he could achieve. That said, he needs to be more clinical from 6 feet.
I’m it sure that at this exact moment the Emery has any idea of what his best midfield is.
The next few weeks could be very interesting. If we are not going to play Tierney, Bellerin and Holding then all hell will let loose. We are a side desperately short of leaders and so some players are really going to have to come to the party, and sharpish.
We are still a work in progress. Does Emery have the ability to turn us into a side that can challenge at the top? I would suggest that we will be a lot closer to knowing the answer by next May. Until then it may be just buckle up and go along for the ride.
OK so who’s going Thursday?
So far I’ve got
scruz (guest of honour/honor)
TTG (host of scruz)
BtM
Delia
Me
Anyone fancy a pre match pint?
I will be there on Sunday with my son 🙂
Where do you guys normally have a pint before the game The Tolly I guess?
i won’t be there
if that increases numbers
?
Sadly I can’t be there a Sunday – we have tickets booked many months ago to see Jools Holland in Cambridge. I’ve sold my tix to North Bank colleagues to bring their kids.
Have a great time ATG.
Just back read some drinks, you guys are good! 🙂
We all know we won’t sack Emery now, however I do feel if he doesn’t pull his coaching skills together we could witness an ugly one. The guys above him, have made it clear top 4 is a must and I sincerely hope they will hold to their word.
I wish him well and for his sake that he will change it around, next three PL games are crucial starting with Palace at home.
If I had it my way I would let go of his services and get Freddy in there as a care taker until we find someone new. Freddie had a really good bond with the youngsters it could be useful and I don’t think he would do any worse than Emery. Obviously I will not be screaming for his head but trends from the end of last season are evident to see and I don’t think we improved a great deal. He has been here a while now and he should know at least who his first eleven should be.
I hope he will finally let Holding, Tierney and Bellerin back in the squad and please play Torriera instead of Xhaka, but hey what are the chances of that happening? Ozil who’s Ozil anyway??
Let’s get behind team whatever the ride will be!
…and by the way if Mourinho is mentioned again I will cry
c100
jools holland
i simply don’t understand the attraction
though
wouldn’t it be good
in an inversion
of his increasingly tiresome tv show
actual famous talented people showed up unannounced
and contractually insist on spoiling his
boogie woogie vanilla karaoke extravaganza
.
.
.
ps
(you still are the best away day reporter – not just here – you should be making coin)
Best of luck to Sol at
Southend. He’s deserved
another job after his
efforts at Macclesfield
hello ‘holic
how ye getting on ?
Cba
This will be the sixth or seventh time I’ve seen him. A great night out. Blues, boogie woogie, great guest stars, just great live music.
Live music rocks. We’re lucky in Cambridge to see many great bands.
I bow to you and ‘holic on music. But I love a good night out listening to a great band. Love rock, soul, reggae, jazz and blues.
Next away day is Leicester. Number one son’s University town. He’s supposed to be sorting a great ruby after the game. If you can’t get a good ruby in Leicester where can you?
Dreading the game. See Delia’s report. Hope the ruby and a few beers makes up for the caning we get, like last April.
hello osaka M
TOO
jeez i’m an ignorant cunt
Scruz
I am on Facebook but don’t use it much.
If I can get your number from Dave we can set our arrangements
Countryman
I have been trying to arrange things with Scruz . I have to take my wife for a hospital scan on Thursday so there is a slight chance I might be there late but otherwise I’d be up for a pre- match pint as Zi am sure would Scruz.
c100
you don’t need to justify anything to anyone
least of all me
i was just saying
i don’t get him
and
more importantly
yours and Delia’s reports
are beyond wonderful
i said before it’s a real skill
‘holic has it , you have it in spades and
god bless us an save us Delia writes with such ease too
@80, Countryman, I’m doing a pre-match pizza with civilised Peronis at a well known Stroud Green establishment on Thursday. Could be persuaded to drop by Tolly b4 KO.
@81, Arthur, Faltering Fullback round about one o’clock on Sunday.
cba @82. I will have to ask my daughter’s math tutor about that one. 🙂
Thank you so much cba.
I am so glad you are recovered and back with us.
This bar is not the same place when you are not here.
My best wishes to Dave, our landlord, while we are discussing matters of importance.
Safe flight scruz. Hope to see you Thursday evening.
it’s mathS
ya foreign fucker
?
Say 6.45-7 at the Tolly BtM? Will bath be with you? Same place as last time?
c100
i’m not
sorry to bring the tone down
but i’m not
but thanks anyway
good souls abound here
and
that’s the end of it
Then fight on my friend (I hope I can claim such).
We’re all with you.
yer a top man
Ooooooooooooooh
and
who else is too
fuckin didn’t notice
brilliant
it’s fate
and i didn’t post 24 pieces of nonsense
to seize it
?
100 moooooooooooooooooooooo s
BtM are you going to Wolves? If so, I could take train and meet before or after at the Faltering Fullback. Perhaps with bath? Need to know in advance though.
Well in cba!
What C100 said @99. Hang tough, cba.
You too, Guv’nor.
Would add GSD to cba’s pantheon of scribes.
Not much to add to the Emery debate. He was meant to provide the tactical coaching that Wenger’s strategic philosophy lacked, but we seem to have ended up with neither at the moment. Perversely, Wenger might have got more out of the current squad and Emery done better with the late-Wenger-era teams. I can’t see Emery not seeing out the season at least. Allegri and Ancelotti, from TTG’s list, would be upgrades. Deschamps a wash, and the rest gambles.
the black pair of knickers
have been put
on the judges head , ned
we all have to die of something
i chose good looks
the shorter yet
more fruitful route
i really don’t mind
everyone else makes me sad
thinking about them
that’s why i go down to the beach
can’t at the minute
hopefully soon
.
fuck that
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbARvOyyjUI
Hello cba
Slid in so smoothly on the ton
there, I thought it was a Mesut
Ozil pass at first.
.
.
.
anyhoo
if ye wanna pick two
Kraftwerk and Ramones
CHANGED THE COURSE OF MUSIC
.
.
sorry c100
i am more than a bit of a muso smartarse
it’s never a good look
but
I AM RIGHT
?
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AO9-HWiYT4
indeed
i was weighed down though
by
my
modest weekly wage
osaka M
i dunno
whether it’s
the conditioning
of you english bastards
making an innocent young Irish urchin etc and so on
but
i really would have to restrain meself
from holding his gucci collar
and
politely reminding ozil of Rocky’s words
cba@107: Saw Kraftwerk play at the Hammersmith Odeon sometime right at the start of the 1980s but never saw the Ramones live. I have seen them dead, or at least Johnny’s grave in the Hollywood Forever cemetery in LA. There is a big bronze statue of him playing guitar. Dee Dee is buried there, too. No statue, though.
awww man
never saw kraftwerk
saw Ramones loadsa times
.
.
unfortunate but true
like someone who organizes
their own surprise birthday party
Johnny paid for that statue
he was KEY to not only their sound
but
keeping them together
don’t forget
johnny didn’t really write any tunes
he was an internal enforcer
to tour etc
to Joey and Dee Dee
who did write the songs
when they might have become more sedentary
.
but MOSTLY
and
MASSIVELY
he invented
the strict downstrokes only style of play
that revolutionized music
ned
now feel free to lie
though i don’t think
you’ll need to
we’re kraftwerk AMAZING
so the thunder T curse
turns were to we’re
.
“tinfoil hat on”
another kraftwerk fan
checking in
as has been said
The Beatles were still together
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoFHdlMrtI
who is standing on roofs singing serviceable rnb tunes
who isn’t ?
8ball
always cool
German music
so influential
so brilliant
can neu faust of a decent song though
(honestly – in a belfast accent that joke rocks)
kraftwerk were revolutionary
REALLY
LITERALLY
.
not
some performance group you saw last week
making attempts at similar noises
.
.
.
The Beatles last album was in the charts
Can were brilliant too
but
they didn’t extricate themselves
from the rock n roll sensibilities
of guitars and drums
kraftwerk DID
i can’t remember the password
to my email
is ‘holic doing rightly ?
anyone know ?
i hope he’s doing champion
cos ‘holic and here have played an important part
in me laughing and roaring for years
.
.
though cynic
did you watch the last spotlight
(did ye spot me ????????)
.
there’s cunts on the loyalist side
rattling more than sabres
the dickheads
.
there’s cunts on the republican side too
misty eyed romanticizing resistance against occupation
and convincing teenagers
(many of the convincers little more than teenagers themselves)
who
bring to mind
the old maxim
if you can remember the 60s you weren’t there
.
life here was shite
no one wants that again
.
or do they ?
I predict old school mass mobilization
of loyalists
if things don’t go their way
huge turnouts for rallies
there’s a wee prick stirring up trouble here now
he’s got a speech impediment
you might have seen him
though
in my day
i wouldn’t have interviewed him
i’d have ridiculed him
.
.
i can’t see things getting polite
when you have Scottish paras
telling the orange order and the accompanying bands
to stop appropriating para stuff
with regard to soldier F
.
.
.
.
but
as i said before
i don’t understand your national love for your armed forces
when you’d casually RUN out of a bar if it was full of sauaddies
now is that because you are only
“proud and grateful”
for their service if that service
is somewhere else where you don’t have to see what goes on
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
like the north of Ireland
?
or
summat else
in other news
suzi quatro
still is amazing
Interesting to be alive in interesting times. The ancient Chinese saying that it is a curse to live in interesting times only goes so far, it is better than the alternative. At least that’s the way I see it on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends.
yup
what he said
They won’t have invented virtual irreality until Chris starts posting on Goonerholic from beyond the grave. When it happens it will probably be to boast about the improved number of pixels on his large screen television. Gooner Terry would have us feeling better about ourselves though.
how’s you 8ball
me an you have always got on
how ye doin ?
gooner T
said a few nice things about me
but to be honest
i was just a fan
Chris
i relentlessly tried to wind up
but to no avail
i really liked him
and
Chris was a nice fella
obviously gooner T was too
don’t you bastards call me racist
but
i preferred Chris
(he was black after all)
What was it like grandpa, in the days before virtual immortality?
Ok here, cba. The neighbor said the squirrels are getting so far it’s bound to be a cold winter, but being a native Californian living only ten years now in Minnesota I haven’t adapted to the length of the winters. It seems like the last one just ended and the next one is just around the corner. Four layers just to stay warm all winter, and today was the first day I had all four on. Not that you particularly wanted to know, but that’s the facts.
And your good self?
Squirrels getting fat here, not far. Yet.
8ball
i can’t get down to the beach recently
but
my neighbour has a field with a wee hut he used to use for beasts calving
it is in a wee hollow
but a stand up and a walk 5steps shows me and hears me the ocean
so that’s where i’ll be mornings days and evenings
and it’s closer
.
.
it’s such a joy to hear the ocean
the beasts are indoors now
cos they are crazy cunts
they really are
very very dangerous
hence
my
moooooooooooooooooooooo
over the years
layers are important 8ball
it’s foreseeing that is the problem
i used to wear a hi vis jacket to walk to the bar
I always took it off easily
and put it in my pocket
before going in
but
me trying to put it back on
over twelventeen layers of coats and jumpers
was to be honest
a patronizing gift for the free state fuckers
ye have to give the donkey fuckers something
mind
?
Scraping sand off the bottoms of your feet isn’t much fun anyway so enjoy the view while you can my friend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irV5TN7ghGQ
what a fuckintune
iffin ye don t like it
yer a twat
a hoor
and needer of a thump
Dad turns 95 this Friday. Happy birthday Dad.?. Even if you don’t read Goonerholic like you should.
eight 8
i miss it already
the sand is very important
gonna get serious again
the BORDER CHECKPOINT was always manned by british soldiers
who would detain anybody
for their vehicles to be searched and the inhabitants searched more
it was always a comfort and source of chuckles to see sand coming out of our shoes as we were searched in a huge barn type structure being treated like animals for being born with the wrong name
.
borders were not pleasant
8ball
FANTASTIC
please wish yer father
a triumphant birthday from me
.
excellent stuff
i never thought I’d ever see forty
i’m sixty nearly
life death
it’s all nonsense
though i replay in my mind
Alan Sunderland May 1979
in most stressful situations
.
.
the source of the most
i dunno
fuckin just
hatred and joy
goodnight
see ya after
CBA
Speaking from experience the black pair of knickers the judges wear on their heads may not be the only one they wear. #kinkinesspersonified
And don’t criticise my spillchucker you nasty piece of work. It is being operated by an idiot ?
i’m meeting at some point with ttg, would love to meet you all for food (solis’s are for softies, except now for dave and cba!), drink, general prematch conviviality. ttg, i don’t think dave has been on fb, hit me on whatsapp on +44 7462 373897 and let me know it’s you…my mail is still locking me out with this foreign (english!) sim card…
and happy birthday bt8 père…
I prefer the measured criticism from the likes of GSD, Doctor Faustus, Btm and Steve T rather than the dismissive variety offered by some of the others in the drinks above.
I see Wenger mentioned in a lot of the drinks so I will start with something he consistently said during his time here. Wenger was always reluctant to sign too many players in transfer windows and used to say that anything more than 3 new players in the first team de-stabilizes the team. Our current first team only has Xhaka and Bellerin who were regular starters in Wenger’s last team (and Bellerin hasn’t played for about 9 months now!). Even from last season’s regular starters we have lost Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Monreal and Koscielny. The basic point being that this team has undergone massive and de-stabilizing changes in the past year or so. It is difficult to achieve the ‘automatisms'( as the BFG always used to say) amongst new players and as an extension to that – a particular ‘style’ of play. So while I completely agree with the criticism about a lack of playing style, I think circumstances and lack of a settled team has played a huge part in that.
Speaking of a style of play, one thing that has been very clear from early on in Emery’s tenure is that he prefers the attacks to generate from wide areas with cut-backs and crosses as the main assist mediums. In keeping with that – it is highly unfortunate that for a large part of his tenure he has not had two proper athletic full-backs in his line up. The best bits of football under Emery have happened when Mkhitaryan & Bellerin were forming a nice combination on the right (some bits during the Chelsea away game early on last season were particularly memorable for their dynamism/one touch precision) and when Kolasinac(who was playing as a wing back then) & Iwobi were dove-tailing on the left hand side immediately post the Christmas dip in form last year. Defending against a combination of Pepe and Chambers is vastly different from having to defend against a tricky dribbly Pepe engaging two or three players sliding through a Bellerin who is already on his bike by the time. Similarly opposition teams would be delighting in the fact that despite his frequent runs in behind defenses, if one keeps Kolasinac closer to the corner flag instead of the penalty box – chances are that he is going to make a bollocks of the cross/cut back. I infact believe that we would have won and wrapped up the Europa League final in the first half itself if Kola could just cross with 50% more accuracy than he usually does. The number of times he was in excellent crossing positions that night was unbelievable.
So the least I want to see is our team playing atleast half a dozen games with both Tierney and Bellerin starting together regularly. It is also where I believe we made the biggest mistake in the transfer window. Everyone wanted another Centre-back but I think we needed to sign a proper right back as back up to Bellerin. It was common knowledge that it would be December before Bellerin becomes a regular starter because of the nature of his injury. Maitland Niles’ weaknesses in that position had already been exposed towards the end of last season yet we decided to go ahead with him as our only available option for the initial part of the season. Chambers has played himself into the squad, he surely would not have been a factor in making the decision not to buy a right back.
The other problem is the midfield which many have commented above. Emery definitely does not believe in having Torreira as one of the two deep lying midfielders and prefers Xhaka. There is enough evidence after the amount of games this season that Guendouzi-Xhaka does not work as a combination. Also as pointed out in his very piece over on Arseblog by Tim Stillman – Xhaka becomes more redundant when Ozil is not playing because Ozil would constantly move into the half spaces between opposition defense and midfield whereupon Xhaka would play him accurate vertical through balls to open up attacking avenues. Right now nobody plays that role and the gap between our deeper midfielders and attackers is too much. Emery has not been afraid in experimenting with his starting eleven and I hope he does give the Guendouzi-Torriera deep lying combo a try in the coming games (Or even Guendouzi-Willock but that might be too young a partnership in such an anchoring role).
Another factor would be that the club have almost compelled him to start youngsters like Saka, Willock, Martinelli etc by taking away the experienced players like Mkhi and Iwobi. What you will get with constantly playing youngsters is inconsistency because they are learning on the job. That is the very reason coaches like Mourinho (let’s not even go in the direction of suggesting that he could be our manager some day!!) rarely play and develop youngsters.
Just to conclude – the performances have obviously been disappointing but there are several factors behind that. It is not as simplistic as a manager not knowing what to do. I would wait atleast until Christmas to judge him and until then back him and his abilities completely.
? thunder T
ya adorable dollop ?
.
gonna gather supplies and crampons
afore tackling
the times literary supplement above
.
hot snacks required at each new base camp paragraph
i’m a thinkin
ps
all my best
to yer wife for thursday
well
everyday really
(what that poor woman
must have to put up with !)
and ned
of course you’re right
about dino’s writing
he like 99% of people on here
know what a pen is for
or a pencil
i’m on the record as not minding
but
i just like the way
some stories are told
the pace the ease etc
so
fuck off
it’s my pantheon
and the shutters are down
ya cheeky fuckin monk wrangler
but
here
have a moooooooooooooooooooooo
from the girls
share that between ye
im not fuckin made of mooooooooooooooooooooooney
Very thoughtful post Desi.
Much common sense and interesting theory .
Let’s try to be patient but Emery is forfeiting sympathy by , for instance , suggesting Kolasinac doesn’t deserve to be dropped and failing to use Tierney , Holding and Torreira .
Countryman
I have suggested meeting Scruz at the Tollington tomorrow as he is going to look at the Armoury and have suggested a 6.30 meet. I have some timing uncertainties tomorrow but hope to make that time but it is a basis for meeting. Is that ok with you?
I have sent Scruz my mugshot and he is convinced I am way better looking than CBA despite having black knickers on my head .
Hope to see you tomorrow!
Fine by me TTG. May I suggest the outside area with the umbrella at the back? That’s where I met iBtM a couple of weeks ago. White/grey beard and a green North Face coat.
Should be there 6.30-6.45 depending on traffic.
well if we’re all describing ourselves
modest is the only word i have
so so statuesquely modest
Scruz
Check your What’sApp
or
as i advised the local hard of eyeball community
just follow the sound
of swooning ladies
adjourning to their fainting couches
got it, all. outstanding!!
methinks there won’t be a shortage of good-looking, grey-haired men with (at least) slight bellies who support arsenal at the folly, then. unless cba manages to show up, then it’ll be a mostly ordinary-looking bunch.
?
Rollock’s 157’desi’gner gooner
WT Actual F man! How many years have you supported the red and whites? We expect nothing less than top 4. That’s our desire and expectations. We know reality dictates otherwise, but nonetheless this is what we as long serving fans expect. A seat back at the top table. Are we deserving a seat at present? Hell no, not with this system and some of the personnel on the pitch. But the main reason why U.E. is on borrowed time, is his persistence with Xhaka, Sokratis and Kolasinac. It’s criminal, that’s what it is. To continue with these 3 lost causes is the biggest indictment that U.E. at best is a cup competition manager. The continued disorganisation in defence! Why is it the same core of player’s that he picks week in, week out. Don’t have a scooby about defensive positioning!? He will be gone in the summer in my opinion and he will only survive January because there are no cheaper alternatives available. He is a Bielsa wannabe. Not fit to lace Bielsa’s boots. Bielsa or NES in the summer.
Expect Özil to play on Thursday against Vitória and for us to win, but not because of Özil, but rather because of Laca, Martinelli, Tierney, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Bellerin, Willock and Saka. I’d like Pépé to play as I think he needs a goal to give him a confidence boost and get his season started. Not being harsh on the lad, but he’s so one sided and it’s predictable for defender’s to just usher him out to his right. Not sure how player’s get this far being so one sided.
the MIGHTY scruz
long serving fan
since dial square
clive is the boy yer lookin for
lovely fella
must be roundabout your age
politely puts manners on people
Countryman / Scruz
This sounds suspiciously like a plan . I haven’t been to the Tolly for a while but I’m sure I can’t fail to recognise a couple of Adonises ! CBA you are waaaay down the pecking order in terms of Gooner Totty .
Totty at the Tolly
I’ll try to make the Tolly around 7ish.
ya buncha queens
?
don’t get too uppity, cba, or we’ll organize a “tolly moo” at you, aka the folly at the tolly.
as i’ve said before scruz
i don’t know people
i AM people
now , where’s my tribute ?
.
.
.
i have no doubt
you will all have a great time
mind you
i think the world is fortunate
cos
if the MIGHTY MIGHTY ‘holic was there
it’d be a space time continuum bending collection
of cunts of the highest order
have a ball scruz
ya complete and utter bastard ?
.
.
this is what this place is about
dave collecting proper gooduns
PROPER GOONERS
and
give the big Scottish fella
a nod from me
(has to be a nod – god bless them they’ve barely stopped drawing elk on the walls of their caves conservatories)
anyway
i’m off to sharpen some turf
to throw at the british forces of occupation
i light the back end
cos
they feel ennui and
recollections of times in their great grandfather Seamus’ turf fired cottage when times were simpler and holidays seemed forever and if only these paddy bastards realised
.
.
*lights turf*
aww fuckin hell
just saw the news
sweet mother of god
just heartbreaking
fuck
god rest those poor people
fuck
just awful
fuckin hell what did those people go through
.
though
things like this
always make me think
of a wee short fat baldy solicitor
reading a statement
on the court steps
on behalf
of their client
“It is with deep regret that I am left with no option other than to leave Bananarama”
.
.
people don’t care
people don’t
some do
but in the main
people don’t
the old fashioned minimum wage
aspirational tory
the i’m alright jack
fuck everyone i went to school with
sort
“Look at me now”
Cheers H!
Thanks for the blog. Thanks to all who contribute in the drinks. Always worth a read.
But most of all BIG UP CBA! Good to see ya hale and hearty again man. (apologies bit slow on this but aint been around much lately).
This one’s for you geez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDEDP9BHJEU
and by the way every single word you said about today mate. Twice over.
esso
top top boy
top top gooner
proper
hope yer well big man
gave me a right good smile
that message
Love you mate. You know that.
This lot was like late 80’s Wire to me, loved ’em as well; xxxx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyvBc1dU73g
that’s as english as i get
?
what i meant to say was
esso
ye’ll do for me
here’s a tune ye might know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKWffik1FE
Man you’re the best. Whole reason I took me moniker on arseblog like!
aaaahhhhhh brilliant
that’s pop music right there
The tragedy in Essex is , as you say , awful CBA.
Whose fault is it? Organised Crime / selfish right wing heartless bastards/ weak, ineffective Socialist opposition, all mouth but no substance / our complete preoccupation with Brexit/ man’s inhumanity to man and on and on . Stuff like this has always happened in different ways and it always will. That doesn’t make it any more excusable .
But as a way to die that has to be about as horrible as you can imagine
RIP to those who died so horribly.
thunder T
it is just horrific
those poor people
this shouldn’t happen
it shouldn’t
anyhoo
i’m hijacking* ‘holic’s house
.
.
*fully aware of the irony thanks fuckfaces.
.
.
.
.
and for the record
i never hijacked a car
(is a lorry a car)
???????
Of the usual King’s Lynn Gooners only Malcolm and I are coming up to tomorrow’s game and I have already promised to buy him a drink in the Supporter’s Club around 7pm .
Let’s hope we have Holding, Tierney and dear Hector on view and some enterprising football to make the trip worthwhile.
COYR
We’ll miss you Delia. Hopefully another time.
now
I can’t be sure
but my love for Kate Bush’s music may have been tainted
d’ye think if she was a 4foot
midget
who stood and sang
she’d be the enigma she is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xckBwPdo1c
(answers on a clean postcard only)
hello Delia
feel free not to say hello back
i don’t mind
#bitch
.
.
.
.
now
i find that funny
i’m sure Delia does too
but
.
fuck her
.
.
talented shite
colin from cleethorpes :
“well I in particular enjoy her interpretive dance routines”
.
.
COLIN YOU ARE A LIAR AND YOU KNOW IT
.
.
.
.
mervyn from moneymore
“Oh is she a singer as well
you’re all as guilty as everyone else
the answer is NO
Blondie wouldn’t have taken over the world
(needlenurdleweedle )
or
That other dancy one
her with the . ……. songs
yup
dimples
*ping*
scruz
if there’s a red haired freckled donkey
following you
(at a discreet distance)
and you see him
know your time has come
.
.
.
.
you are messing with etc ……….
ya 2 ton stealin mo fo
Desi @157 loads of sense there and thanks for taking the time to be so comprehensive. Top post and I hope you are right about Emery’s abilities.
I also agree completely with TTG’s first paragraph @161 re ‘forfeiting sympathy’. If he wants to be judged on our best team then he should pick it.
Henry@ 169. Frankly I think it is a crappy and classless move to question the length of someone’s support when they post something you disagree with here. Under any circumstances. To do so after such a genuine and well considered post was worse still. I also did not understand much of your opening few sentences.
However, after your assertion that continuing to play players you don’t like is criminal (no, today has provided us with enough that is criminal not to confuse a football manager’s choices with the same) I did actually agree with most of the rest of your post.
Cheers Ned. Both you and all the monks have a round on me. Or give them one to share and get bladdered yourself. As you see fit.
Always good to see the Doc in the house.
Esso. Top man. I’m not on Twitter and wish you were in here more often.
cba. No words that do justice but lots of love you daft bugger.
Clive, Delia, Steve, Countryman, Arthur (and apologies to those left off this not exhaustive list) it is always a pleasure.
Dennis I love this place.
UTA
Scruz! Didn’t even spy you in there for the double ton.
Lethal as ever. I think I’m gonna be busy tmoro evening but if I’m free I’m minded to come to the Tolly just to meet you (and some folks from less far away), and watch the game on the screen in there. I heard Lars has kindly allowed use of his tab…
Cheers, GSD. I keep the monks on short rations, just in case.
cba: each to their own pantheon. But you are still the man and moo.
Desi: good post @157, though calling Iwobi an experienced player took me back a bit. There is always an argument over whether the system should fit the players or the players fit the system, but we seem to be doing neither at the moment.
Another day, another game.
Hopefully, the midweek XI
can deliver another enjoyable
evening.
Personally I’ve no objection to
the theoretical 4-2-1-3 system
we seem to line up in. But the
reality has too often been
passively sitting back and ceding
the midfield together with poor
passing and slow transition when
we do get the ball. The mindset
seems fundamentally wrong.
Looking forward to seeing
Emi
Hector, Mus, Rob, Kieran,
Torreira, Willock (AMN?)
Pepe, Ozil, Martinelli
Laca
Maybe just 45 mins for Laca
and then Balogun or John-Jules?
sorry to steal your 2ton, cba. but it was so ripe, and so hanging low over the public footpath.
if i see that donkey i will wave hi in the fashion made famous by audrey hepburn in “roman holiday.” but if it causes trouble the knacker’s van will be pulling in for it.
gsd, be sure to wear the suit ?. seriously, i’d enjoy meeting you, too!
CBA@40,
That unspeakably vile paedo Gadd effectively did the same thing to the Glitter Band that he did to all those poor kids. They were pretty good.
Esso@185,
Spooky, I was listening to “A bellis a cup” last night!
TTG@161, thank you and even more so because I think my views are slightly contradictory to yours when it comes to the manager. As for the manager defending the selection of Kolasinac, I don’t think he has a choice but to do that when he gets asked such a direct question. He cannot say that yeah Kola didn’t play well and Tierney will be starting PL games pretty soon even if he knows that is the case. I agree with you that he should be using Torreira way more than he does – especially in away games. He should be a nailed on starter in away games because he is our best player without the ball. With Holding and also Bellerin, I can understand his caution because of their ACL injuries. It made sense not to play Holding in an away game against a tough tackling side. Holding and Bellerin will be eased into the side with their match fitness built up in cup games and substitute appearances in the league.
GSD@203 thanks to you as well.
Ned@205, thanks again. I meant Iwobi’s experience in relative terms when compared with the likes of Saka, Nelson & Martinelli. Iwobi must have played close to a 100 premier league games for us whereas the others are newbies. You sum it up rather well by pointing out the perennial argument about the players fitting the system or the system fitting the players. Modern managers usually have a preferred system and tend to build teams to fit that system. It is no co-incidence that we have bought an athletic good at crosses left back and a dribbly wide man this summer. Wenger filled his later teams with highly technical midfielders. Although after the injuries to Holding & Bellerin, Emery recognized last season that he did not have the players suited to play in the way he likes his teams to play and therefore shifted to a 3-5-2 system which suited the likes of Kola & AMN.
Someone finally said it, it is criminal to continue playing kolasinac and sokratis who are absolutely pathetic in defending. Xhaka and guendouzi just doesnt work and if your manager hangs a player like torreira dry by saying we wanted fabinho, god bless the midfield.
We will win today but that wont paper the cracks, unai should know he is on borrowed time and the only way out of it is a top-four finish, can he do it? i don’t think so and it hurts saying it for this team is quite capable of it.
Oops. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>