I don’t have anything cool or interesting to say today and I normally would just take the day off but since I promised to write here on Mondays and I want to keep my promises, I do have a quick thought.
First, welcome to October. It’s 64F here in Tacoma and I still have fruit flies so, it still feels like August with just one minor difference, it’s muggy. The humidity is off the charts. I think it’s 172%. Something like that.
October is my birthday. Not the whole month, just one day in it. That’s just my way of saying that I have a birthday in October. If you want to buy me a present I have a stupid wishlist but please don’t buy me anything (I include it here so you can laugh at the stuff I put on my wishlist). I have all that I need. Instead send $25 to the Red Cross. Or to any charity that you want.
On my real wishlist I would put things like: get back to doing pushups every day, pick up after yourself you slob, be nicer (to yourself and others), learn how to trim your beard finally you’re 48 years old FFS, go to see the Arsenal, etc.
Oh by the way, my back is better. I got an MRI, which located the spot where I’m having problems and they went in there with a cortisone shot and pop. I feel better. It’s not a permanent fix but it’s a lot better than where I was a few months ago.
Anyway, enough of all of that. I think we need to give Emery three years. There’s a logic to this thought. So, let me explain.
Arsene Wenger liked his teams to play a very unique style of football. His center backs were asked to attack the ball before it got to the opponent, resulting in a large number of interceptions for Arsenal’s CB’s. Koz led Arsenal with 2.2 INT per game last season and Mustafi was 2nd with 2.1. This season, Guendouzi leads Arsenal with 2.4 INT per game and Mustafi is down to 1.3 and Sokratis is intercepting the ball at a mere 0.5 per game.
That is just one way that Emery is changing things. The more obvious ones are Ozil playing wide, Ramsey playing up front, Aubameyang on the left, playing with a double-pivot, Cech’s increased passing duties, It’s actually quite a huge change to everything.
I was one of those people last year who said “any coach” could come in and make this team better. I probably said “any modern coach” but even with the qualifier I have to admit that I was pretty wrong about that. Wenger was a sort of magician in a way, he really was able to get a team that isn’t that great to play better than the sum of their parts. I think we are finding that out.
I also look at the turnover in Liverpool over the last three years and you have to think that Emery deserves a similar change. Liverpool sold Benteke, Coutinho, Sakho, and let others like Emre Can leave on a free. They also signed Alisson, Keita, van Dijk, and Mo Salah. Whatever you think of these players this is a major squad refresh under Klopp. I think Emery deserves at least the same chance to do something similar (if he wants).
Just those two factors alone – Wenger’s unique playing style and the team he built to play it – mean that we have to give Emery two years, just to get the squad sorted out. That third year. That’s where I think you can start to wonder how well it’s working.
Obviously, we can still complain about playing ugly (because we are playing ugly), that’s just stating the fact. Just try to keep some perspective on the new manager and the team he’s inherited.
Anyway, that’s my (small) thought of the day. Happy birthday to everyone who has a birthday in the next year.
Happy birthday. Glad to hear that you got at least some temporary relief for your back.
Many happy returns, T Dizzle.
Glad you are feeling better…only thing worse than an MRI is having the medical condition necessitating the MRI.
People (yours truly included) need to be kinder, more patient, and more empathetic in most every aspect of their lives – from their loved ones, to their elected leaders (although some of them might be right see you next Tuesdays), to their coaches/managers/teams of choice (with the caveat noted above).
It would make their neck of the woods a much better place.
BUT NOT JOSE TYPE OF EXCUSE OF DEFEAT AFTER DEFEAT.
DIS IZ NOT DE WEY
It’s funny how much you realise Arsene’s influence, whether good or bad, so early on in Emery’s tenure. I realised that Arsene spoiled us when it came to how entertaining his side was. At our worst, which is very recent, we still had this little Wengerism about us which kept you captivated. I miss that football, but I realize that it was necessary for us as a club to change as soon as possible, before Arsene completely ruined his legacy.
I loved the man’s football. I was just disappointed that such an intelligent man would resist help the way he did. He was very good at predicting future trends but was very much against taking on changes. That is our Arsene , the eternal optimist. I wonder how he would have done with the set-up that is currently at the club. Do I think it will take 3 years for Emery to truly say the club is his? I don’t know about that.
I know that a lot was fixed by the appointment of the head of recruitment, who Arsene really needed because he just lost the eye for talent in the past 3 years. He also has a director of football and a contract negotiator, whom Arsene really ought to have had because he cost us so many deals by insisting the players were not worth it e.g. Hazard and Mata. I think these appointments make it easier for Emery. If all our transfer windows are like the past two windows, Emery will have a more balanced and talented squad than what Arsene built.
The little nuances of Wengerball are out, players are either improving or changing because the current system is so different. It’s funny how all these changes make me appreciate Arsene more, he did what he did with an unbalanced and very overrated talent wise, imagine what he could have achieved with a truly talented squad. Imagine what he could have done with a Xhaka and Torreira midfield.
Good luck to Emery, but 3 years is too much when he does not have all the distractions that come with being a Wenger type of manager. Wengerball is gone already, but this team has either spent very little time with Arsene, are young enough that they still have time to develop out of wengerball, improved on what they learned from him or are experienced enough to alter their style because they have played for many different teams and have many national team caps.
In saying all that, I would say the start of next season is where expectations will be high for him, because I think we can agree that the team is more unbalanced than lacking talent. A team that has Laca, Ozil, Mkhi and Aubameyang in their prime within their ranks is a side that should aspire for the very top. These players are too good to wait three years for, so the club will work as hard as possible to create a foundation for their talents.
Correct.
But there are 2 things he has to do immediately. Yes, that may be unfair on him, but life and elite football coaching aren’t fair.
One, make us competitive against the Top 4 or 5. Now. Under Wenger of late, we’d go into those games expecting to be beaten. One of the thrilling exceptions was spanking Conte’s Chelsea at the Emirates two years ago (a game in which Mesut Ozil was absolutely outstanding, offensively and defensively). Another was our FA Cup win that season (Ozil again outstanding; Mertesacker immense). Emery has to do this at once, even if it’s tightening us up for draws (which, they way we are playing defensively, doesn’t look possible). To that end, he was unlucky to get City and Chelsea first up, but getting nothing out of those games is a mark against him. Liverpool and Spurs will be tests, as well the return fixture against Sarri and Pep. You earn your spurs as a coach by how you set up against big sides. An Arsenal inferiority complex is not something that he has time to eradicate.
Two to do right away is tighten us up defensively. The early signs are mostly not good, although Torreira looks to have to ability to help correct that, and Bellerin has looked more switched-on defensively in the last two games. But we are allowing more shot, allowing more big chances, have one of the most overworked goalkeepers in the league, and our midfield can sometimes look like the Van Wyck Expressway.
He doesn’t have the luxury of time on this.
All that said, he deserves enormous credit for beating the sides that, on paper, we expect to beat. Playing the way we did on Saturday, we’d have lost to Watford last season.
Agree but I would say doing the second thing (tightening us defensively) would automatically solve the first thing (being competitive against any of the other top 6). I think our attack, despite feeling unbalanced sometimes, is capable of producing brilliant moments.
2 points Claude.
1: We played well enough to deserve something out of the Chelsea game this season so I wouldn’t say it’s a mark against him exactly. Especially as it was his second PL fixture evs. We weren’t very coherent but we were competitive.
2. The Van Wyck is a parking lot most of the time. I would have gone with … hang on … no, there are no good highways in the TriState area.
Agree with all of this, Tim. Including the part about fruit flies. This happened last October as well. 253 forever!
They are everywhere. It’s annoying. My ex has a bunch of apples on her lawn and her yard is basically a horde of fruit flies.
Global warming?
Shut up idiot, everyone knows it’s a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese and Al Gore.
In my house, the BEAPCO fruit fly traps have worked wonders. Not 100%, of course, but very, very close. I just didn’t think I’d need them in October!
(added to my wishlist – hint hint)
A good trap I use is a shot glass of water mixed with some balsamico vinegar and a drop of dish soap. It always kept the fruit fly population at tolerable levels.
Well said sir and I wish more Gunner fans would read this and take it on board. There’s a lot of unlearning to do and he’s got to try and fit square pegs in round holes before he can put together the squad he wants
One thing I really want to know.. is it possible for Laca and Auba to be in the same squad playing the way Emery wants long-term?
“Wenger was a sort of magician in a way, he really was able to get a team that isn’t that great to play better than the sum of their parts. I think we are finding that out”
I had a comment all geared up to go on the last thread that basically said exactly this, but deleted it because I didn’t want to be starting something. In general I don’t follow what Michael Jackson says – I haven’t Beaten It either, nor would I Blame anything On The Boogie.
I’ve been on about Emery’s rigid, systematic approach being a massive culture shock for this side after a decade of Wenger. Most of them are internationals and have been exposed to more rigid team systems, but every time I see a Wenger player in an international team it looks like the international coach has given up and just let them play their own game. Look at Ramsey for Wales. No way anybody was going to get him to stay put in front of the back 4. Off you go son, enjoy yourself.
And for sure, some of these players will not survive more than one season. Not because they are not good players, but because they don’t fit.
I am already nostalgic for Wenger, but I have nothing but good will for Emery and I hope pretty football comes back to the Emirates sooner rather than later.
Now I’m off to BURNITUP! (Janet Jackson has much better advice than her brother).
Happy birthday month, Tim. May your back be kind to you, and you be kind to others in this year. As always, even these quick posts are engaging and thought provoking. Thanks for adding so much to my enjoyment of Arsenal.
I see a lot of yearning for Wengerball bubbling up in this thread, and while I also pine for those moments of beautiful, breathtaking one touch passing to score, I also remember very clearly how dreadful and dispirited this team was after the new year. They were bereft of confidence, lacking energy, and generally disgruntled. Not things that show up on scoresheets or in stats, but very obvious to anyone watching.
Contrast that with the energy, spirit and confidence this team has shown this season, and it’s nothing short of remarkable in such a brieft stretch. Yes, early days etc. and we are not winning convincingly. But under Unai, there’s a fight in the squad that had all but died last year. We are far from a finished product, and there is still a lot of change to come, but winning and believing are huge accomplishments. Yes, it will take time. But just a change in the mindset is impressive in my book.
Looked at your wish list… Why on earth would you want 30 year old editions of D&D books? Mine are all in a box somewhere, I had no idea they were worth that much now.
I had them when I was a kid. I sold them for beer money in the 90’s and have always regretted that.
If you don’t want yours please send them to me!
The old D&D books are gems. They’re now created and published by Hasbro, I believe, but the old pre-90’s TSR editions just fill me with nostalgia. Oh, the artwork!!!
Just checked and my bastard brother took them from my parent’s house.
BTW 5th Edition D&D is pretty good. I’m trying to get my 8 year old son into it and bought him the new Player Handbook and Monster Manual. They streamlined the rules quite a bit, I like it.
If my teammates in high school knew I played D&D on Sundays at the library, man I’d have been a pariah.
You have a bastard brother? How very Shakespearean!
Happy Birthday Tim!
Talking about giving time for Emery…
In my opinion we should give him a chance to replace Monreal, Ozil, Micki, Auba and Ramsey (all 29 and above. Also Cech, Kos, Sokratis, Lichsteiner (but they have replacements lined up). Two windows (Jan’19 & Summer’19) should be enough. Give an extra window (Jan’20) for playing together. The results of 2020-2021 season (season after our next one) should be the final call. If we finish top 4 and that’s what we want as club then he stays else he leaves us! But I fear if we are not top 4 by the end of 2019-2020 (next season) he will get fired!
I’m about 4 weeks older than Ramsey, and last I checked I’m not 28 till about Thanksgiving. So he’s 27 until he’s 28, and definitely not 29.
That’s a typo. Thanks for pointing out.
Three years is quite generous. I would say two years at least. Klopp and Pochettino managed to get Liverpool & Spurs back in the Top 4 in their second season. So if Emery can’t get a Top 4 finish in his second season, a lot will depend on how the team performed (if we are 10 points outside the Top 4, forget about the 3rd year).
“Wenger was a sort of magician in a way, he really was able to get a team that isn’t that great to play better than the sum of their parts. I think we are finding that out.”
Indeed! From the left wing, Aubameyang managed to score a goal per game under Wenger. Now he looks completely useless in that position under Emery.
The main positive is that the team seems to be showing more resilience under Emery. I’m not sure they would have won the Everton and Watford games under Wenger.
Here’s my opinion about Emery, giving him time etc.
I watched Liverpool v. Chelsea on the weekend – a fabulous game. One the one side you have a team deliberately constructed over the past three years to suit the manager’s vision of football (Liverpool) on the other side you had a team that by chance was already nearly perfectly constructed for the new manager’s vision of an up-tempo pressing 4-3-3. In both cases the roster fit the manager and the manager was not asked to customize his approach to fit the best available personnel.
Emery is stuck in a hard spot here and I guess we’ll see what happens over the next couple of windows. Will Mislintat and Sanllehi help build a team to fit Emery’s preferred 4-2-3-1? Will he be forced as he was at PSG to adopt a 4-3-3? Or will he have to accept that Aubemayang is wasted on the wing, he needs to play both Auba & Laca together in a front two (what other club has a 1-2 like that?) and that means sacrificing Xhaka to the bench and modifying the high press? (Auba & Laca, Ozil #10, Iwobi/Mhyki/Torreira)
I think we’ve ridden a bit of luck here the last few weeks. It’s not really a lot of fun to watch us play right now. I’m curious to see who’s going to win out; Emery, the players or Mislintat/Sanllehi.
Klopp is in his fourth season and since Jack brought up the Chelsea game, here’s an interesting thing.
I thought Liverpool were better and probably should’ve won that game if only just, but out of the 18 players ( starters and subs) only four had been at Liverpool prior to Klopp’s arrival.
If Arsenal were to follow the same aggressive transfer strategy, what four players out of current roster do you think we might see three years from now facing Chelsea at the Bridge?
I actually thought Chelsea deserved to win, given the quality of their chances. But regardless, the game was a pleasure to watch, apart from when I was reminded how far we have to go to get to that level of play. We certainly do look the part of a Europa League team at the moment.
Unless I’m forgetting something I thought Chelsea had just two good chances.
Both from Hazard who scored for Chelsea from Liverpool defensive mistakes.
On his first, Liverpool right back got sucked in up the pitch and left a big hole for Hazard to run into, very Bellerin- like.
And the other one from acquickly taken free kick where , again, Liverpool right back went to sleep.
While Liverpool had three really good chances from Salah, Mane, and a terrible miss from The Alpine Messi.
zero “big chances” in this game.
1.59 – 1.73 xG
1-1 is about right.
Do you believe in the significance of single game xG, Tim?
The Balkan Messi?
Bellerin, Leno, Torreira and Guendouzi. We have an older team, I couldn’t see us retaining any of the 28+ crowd long term.
I would love to see us play a 4222. Emery tried it with Xhaka and Torreira against Lazio (I think), during pre-season. Atletico Madrid manage it very well and we have players to get that system right. Emery himself said that the 442 is harder to break down and we are already playing a variation of it currently. Ramsey is usually up top with Laca and offering movement down the flanks, while Laca holds up play. I think Aubameyang is technically not as good on the ball to be our roaming second striker but he would be better up top than he is on the wing.
As a team we can be the antagonists against the smaller clubs and be solid against the top sides. Being solid will also depend on the two wingers in this system, but Atletico usually fielded attacking and central midfielders in these wide positions. The first two were Arda Turan and Koke, then Carrasco and Koke, then Saul and Koke and now Lemar and Koke. Only Carrasco is an out-and-out winger. We have Mesut, Mkhi, Ramsey, Smith Rowe and Iwobi, I think we have enough quality to make it work.
The midfield is as solid as I remember Arsenal having, on paper at least. We have a Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano type of combination in Xhaka and Torreira. They are also young and looking at players like Guendouzi and Joe Willock, we have players that suit this system coming through. I am no worried about the central midfield pair to face problems head on, the system force the opposition to move to the sides the way Atletico forced us to, during the Europa League semi-final. They only pressed once the ball got to the fullback positions and never allowed us to play through the middle.
Defensively we have the fullbacks to provide width for us, as they already do. This is because our midfield is not really as mobile as the other top sides, but the midfield ‘s natural inclination to sit can be helpful and allow our athletic centerbacks to cover the wide positions wif we lose the ball high up wide. We also have our build up set as 6 players being heavily prioritized already. We use the back 4 and the 2 midfielders to start play and it can remain as such.
Our two attacking midfielders can then have a bit more freedom than has been afforded to them in our current system. A system that has Ozil and Mkhi behind Laca and Aubameyang ahead of them is on paper, one of the best attacks in world football and having them playing in positions that get more out of them than the current system. Defensively these two can just Sheppard play out wide and provide cover plus numbers inside to make sure we don’t face trouble through the heart of the team.
The problems that might be faced with this system are numerals as with any other system. It asks a lot out of the attacking players in the big gamesbecause defensively, they have the job of protecting the central midfield and central defence, but exposes the fullbacks to a lot of play being down their channels. The team will also face a lot of crosses as that’s the only way that teams will have to get close to our goals. Are we solid enough in the air or even clearing low crosses? I think we might be able to cope with that. Another problem might be a lack of total domination of games, but we are already experiencing that in many of our first half performances.
Our quality is getting us out of trouble against the smaller sides and it should get us over them in a 4222, while not leaving us vulnerable at the back in the process.
As Monaco of the 16/17 season showed that a 4222 can also be used very much in an attacking sense. I think this could get us to be more solid and still allow our most dangerous players to play in the areas where they pose the most danger.
It’s not a bad shout at all.
Unfortunately, Emery (and here he is still with the majority of modern managers) has shown no interest in playing this formation. The context of that quote where he says it’s a solid system is him giving reasons why he prefers a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3. So basically, yeah, if we had Simeone as our manager, he might make this work (though I reckon he would quickly decide that too many of our players are “too nice” and want replacements). But we don’t. And anyway, as brilliant as AM can be to watch at times, they can also be as dull as watching paint dry.
You also cite Monaco, but I think the big difference there (other than them being in a much weaker league, and having a once-in-a-generation talent up top) is that in central midfield they had too absolute powerhouses, that sat and allowed everyone else to play. Xhaka and Torr, even at the best of times, don’t fit the bill. If Guen develops physically, then a Guen/Torr partnership has a lot of promise as a double pivot, I think. But we’re not there yet.
Anyway, this is all to say that I liked your comment and wouldn’t mind seeing it happen, but I’m not holding my breath. Plus, playing with a midfield foursome (in either a diamond or rough “box” shape) and a front two is a pretty dramatic switch from what either Emery or the players are used to, so I can’t see it gelling overnight, and I very much doubt Emery would have the patience to stick to it for a while.
But I completely agree that if we are going to make getting the best out of both Laca and Auba a priority, then we need to play them both properly up top, and the best way to do that is to try some modernized variation of 4-4-2.
Over a month into the season, and City and Liverpool look like the main title contenders (as expected), with Chelsea not far behind (unexpected (for me, at least)). United, Spurs, and us fighting it out for fourth? One can hope. One can further hope that Mourinho stays on for another six months, and that Spurs finally (FINALLY) get tired, ffs.
Watford won’t stay in the fight, surely… [visions of Leicester dancing in my head]
I still predict a Chelski stumble. If they can maintain this level of play, though EL games and inevitable injuries, I would have to conclude that there’s at least one group of players in world football who respond positively to repeated managerial changes. And I’d be really surprised, especially if Hazard’s form dips.
I wish it was up to us to give him 3 years. This is a club that had but one manager for over an entire generation, so by that standard even 5 years is reasonable. Yeah, right, ain’t gonna hapoen, we all know.
I like him, I do. I think he’s the genuine deal and he’s helping to get the team the points we need to make a run at Top 4. But it seems precarious and not very solid right now. Like we are one calamitous moment away from thowing away any given match. Dicey, edgy, nervy, right to the final whistle but unlike before, the points are always somehow in the bag.
October is a big month for birthdays. Tim, John Lennon, me (Oct 4th), daughter of 1 Nil (Oct 17), my sister in-law (I should know the date, sorry) Brother of 1 Nil (Oct 29).
October is for winners. COYG.
October is for lovers! Literally, they were probably conceived on St. Valentine’s Day.
Gross.
Oh, one more thing he’s not going to be given time to sort out. Our winter form. He has to show by March next year that we are a more resilient side between November and February. But to repeat, fabulous job so far picking out 15 points out 15 since losing to Chelsea.
Speaking of which… I’d like to ask better football brains than mine like Tim, if he cares to give it a go — why has Sarry hit the ground running?
A generational talent like Hazard helps, but it seems to me that he has kept things fairly simple. He was tactically brilliant in the game against us, a game we played well enough to at least draw. Seems that he made all the right adjustments from the pre-season game that we won. Thoughts?
Maybe there is something non the Fulham tap water? Chelsea has been a revolving door for mangers right back to the beginning bof the Abromovitch era and the temp has alwayal conspired to win. They stole the Champions League from Bayern with a caretaker manager. Who knows?
BTW, I am on break from my tour and in the bar section of a restaurant here in Toronto having my Miller Street Organic Lager and the fruit flies around the beer taps? Crazy! There are clouds of them that swarm every the bar tender brings out a fruit garnish for a cocktail. I had to move down and away.
When I was a barfly, this time of year was the absolute worst for fruit flies near the “salad” station at the bar.
Happy birthday, T. Keep the drosophila down in South Sound please…
Awesome fact: There’s a road called “Arsenal Way” in Kitsap County.
Sorry for the typos. Love my Mill Street Organic.
My big daughter has birthday in this month as well, and in my opinion this is the worst time to have one. The nicest weather had just passed, and all the plans to have a party somewhere outside are washed out with the first pass of heavy rains, so you have to organize something inside, but it is also a failure, because half of the friends are knocked down by the fresh crop of flu viruses.
But the most important it that you have good news regarding your back, so happy birthday in advance!
Footbaistically speaking,
I think that 3 years is too much. For three years you can learn a lot. You can learn a new language, even you can get an MBA if you really focus on it. So I believe that it should take much less time to learn professional top athletes to pass the ball not THIS way, but THAT way. I am not a football coach — I am sure that some of the writers are much more into the details than me, but I am quite convinced we talk about details and nuances on top of an established base.
I don’t think that the coach needs three years to find out the abilities and limitations of his squad. Sure, it takes time that they get to know each other, to synchronize themselves in their new roles and requirements, but in terms of the limits to which what one player is able to perform – this I am sure that Emery knows already.
And finally, I don’t think that it needs three years to rebuild the squad. It might take Moronho three years to destroy one, but in case a coach actually knows what he is doing, it should take about three transfer windows to shape the team according to his preferences. This is, of course, considering that you don’t build the team from scratch, and I think that Arsenal actually had world class players on most of the positions before Emery’s arrival. This is why his first transfer window actually was focused more on stability and backup options (except the midfield where we needed a solution, considering also the change in system). This is a wise choice, in my opinion. In January I think we will see maybe on or two big transfers, connected with the situation around Rambo. And in the summer we will have to hunt for big game, if we want to match the top-spenders.
But overall, yeah. I don’t think that The Process needs three years. I think we will finish in the top four this season, and hopefully higher next one.
About Xhaka (pardon, Xh*ka): I cannot believe that he is on the pitch because of the money we have spent on him. We have overspent, we know that, everybody else know that and it will not change no matter if he plays all the games or none. I think that the reason he is still a regular is more because Emery want to introduce his changes in the squad slowly. The only new face in the begining was Guendouzi, now Torreira is in instead of him, and I think Unai is still afraid to pair them together. The other reason why Xhaka is on is probably connected with his leadership – it seems he is quite liked guy. German(-speaking) core or something, I don’t know.
Like most modern coaches, Emery will likely peak in his second season, although he won the Europa league in his maiden campaign at Sevilla and a treble at PSG in his one season there (which, much to his chagrin, was the bare minimum there). It’s rare for a coach to last more than 3-4 years in this climate and I don’t expect him to be the exception just because he is supplanting Arsene Wenger. His timing is not terrific because he is catching Guardiola’s City in their pomp (though I think their star is slowly waning) and Klopp’s Liverpool at its apex, plus Sarri has come in and quickly turned around a Chelsea squad that was destitute under their former hero of two years ago. Projecting ahead to 2019/20, Emery has a shot to win the title as long as his methods continue to percolate apace and the club supports his efforts with effective, meaningful purchases. I can’t predict with complete confidence that far ahead, and certainly it will be nothing like easy, but time is always a great equalizer and attrition takes its toll at all clubs. I think City are slowly coming to the end of their championship cycle as key players like Aguero, Fernandinho and Silva age out of their primes, while it will take Manchester United some time to recover from the dragon sickness now being inflicted by Mourinho. Another whose star is on the wane is Pochettino. His best case scenario is to replicate the results of prior seasons and while I back him to do that this season, it will be more and more difficult each year to churn out that level of performance from the same group of players without actually winning anything. Liverpool will remain relevant but will the players still execute Klopp’s vision with the same fervor if they fall short of the title? Will they execute with the same zeal if they win the title? We know how hard it is to repeat. All that to say I am a hopeless optimist and I believe in Unai Emery.
Astute observation as always, doc: timing. As critical in sport as it is in comedy. Or music. Success depends, in musical metaphor, on always being on the one beat. Liverpool and Man City are in the words of Stevie, “Always on the One” (“Jammin”). For now.
You share same birthday with Nigeria? Happy birthday Tim.. I added Christian pavon to my wish list..though I don’t understand how we’ve been able to get these results consecutively, what I know is that we’ve been winning in awkward ways..but I’d like to point out what I’ve noticed lately… we seem to be running our opponents out of strength and down the weak zone, then pumping in energetic or skilful players later on in a match and then playing at a higher intensity than the first 60 minutes.. we come alive at around the 60th minute and we do that with some degree of speed and perfection..very strange tactic but I’ll take it.. sell Ramsey, replace with AMN, sign pavon and tell Mustafi to get himself a special seat on the side line! That’d be my wish come Christmas..
Coquelin and Gabriel playing Champions League ball has to bring a smile to gooners’ faces. I always root for United’s opponents. Doubly so now. Come on, Valencia (not Antonio)
I heard it was a dull affair. 0-0, and yet another poor result for Mourinho’s United. The gift that keeps on giving.
i wrote this on the previous thread but as i posted, tim put up a new thread. i just wanted to share it with you:
i predicted the type of performance torreira had on saturday back in the summer. sadly, there are more of those days to come.
my gripe was that his stature would make it exceptionally difficult for torreira to compete with his bpl contemporaries. smaller players who’ve thrived in the bpl have had a certain amount of guile to their game. torreira lacks the guile of a cesc fabregas, luka modric, gianfranco zola, santi cazorla, or even n’golo kante. he is all fight, which is a lovely quality to see, but he’s trying to physically compete with bigger, stronger, faster, world class athletes, muscle for muscle. it’s a losing battle. it’s a bit like roller blading uphill. physics is what it is; you can’t coach height, speed, or weight. torreira has to has to give everything he has physically just to keep up with average bpl center mids and that’s simply not sustainable. torreira is a very decent player but the bpl doesn’t suit him. there will be more of these type of performances to come, especially as teams discover that they can target him.
Statsbomb have an Arsenal article out which notes how poorly we are playing right now. Deep in the bottom half of the table in xG against.
I agree that 3 years is very generous. I don’t expect us to be contenders but I do expect to see improvements by the end of this season. At least some green shoots of recovery. When you change things up in a team there is usually a fallow period where performance slumps, and it’s important to push through that period and keep the faith. I very much hope and expect that that’s what’s going on right now, and soon things will should improve considerably. If not, then we have to start looking at the ability of the players, and there will have to be some big decisions in January.
After that he gets a summer transfer window and then the scrutiny will increase on next season’s performance. But in 12 months time if we’re still rotten at the back and turgid going forwards, I don’t know how much patience the club will have.
I can never remember Tim’s birthday but I know he shares one with a certain walrus.
On Emery. ‘We’ don’t give him anything. My guess is he’ll be under pressure if we don’t make it into the CL next season, and will be out if that happens two seasons in a row.
Of course, much will depend on the transfer policy of our GMs. And what of a new CEO. Is it really going to be Marotta from Juve? Interesting times, but it all stays settled if we keep on winning, regardless of how we do it.
Personally, I think we’ll make top 4 IF we can manage the fitness of the squad into the new year. I’m thinking we’ll also make one or two signings in January to help with that. Especially if Ramsey departs (He may not want to go) Not been a very exciting season so far in terms of how we are playing, but can’t argue with the results.
of course, ramsey doesn’t want to leave. he’s living in london and a regular, well-paid starter at one of the biggest clubs in the world. well, it seems he’s over-priced himself as the club has called his bluff.
for the record, i haven’t been a fan of ramsey or xhaka in the past several seasons so the criticisms they’re starting to get is almost redundant. i name dropped a handful of central midfield players back in the spring with some resistance from the brethren here. there was kovacic, who “would never leave real madrid”, who’s currently playing for chelsea. there was lo celso, who “psg won’t release”, who’s currently on loan at real freaking betis. there’s leandro parades who may be content at zenit but would he really prefer st. petersburg over london? then there’s world champion, steven n’zonzi, who’s doing his thing in rome because “we have torreira”.
nuts! all of those players make arsenal significantly better. the only reason kovacic doesn’t start for club or country is because he’s behind luka freaking modric. in a pre-season friendly against psg, we watched giovani lo celso used the ball more effectively in a 20 minute cameo than ramsey has all season. you can put parades anywhere in midfield and he will give you a product. he’s so good, zenit felt compelled to sell axel witsel to dortmund. n’zonzi’s an intelligent international who’s not going get bullied or overpowered in midfield by anyone in world football.
i simply believe our beloved arsenal could have done more to compete for the title in emery’s first season. we have absolute class in our attack but most of our attacking players are in their late 20s. arsenal needed to try and win the league this season before they all age out. chelsea’s trying to win in sarri’s first season. why not arsenal? you say three seasons. i say nuts!
I liked both Kovacic and N’Zonzi (know nothing about the others) While it’s true the club could have done more, it was always going to be the case that Emery was brought in to build up these players, and then if necessary the club would change the squad around. Plus, it’s not just about Emery and his assessment, Sven and Raul are also fairly new to their roles and assessing the squad is essential before going on a binge.
I’m guessing Ramsey’s offer was withdrawn because Gazidis is gone and Sven/Raul has a deal in the works to replace him effectively. It’s not because Ramsey is a bad player. He will command more money by virtue of his service to us, his HG quota, and his ability. But the club seemingly decided they can do better with that money. It’s a big call and one they’ll have to get right.
I don’t think it’s that big a call on Ramsey at all.
Not if the £200k per week rumors had any substance to them.
How much do you think he’ll get elsewhere? It won’t be too far from that range I bet. Maybe even more.
He’s certainly not irreplaceable but it’s a bigger call now than if they had sold him in the summer after making clear to him that he won’t be extended on those terms. Instead Gazidis was feeling him up.
So they are likely losing him on free, potentially writing off this season of performance by virtue of this withdrawal, and now need to find someone to replace him either internally, or externally for equal or lesser money. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a big call to me. I would say bad call but I’m hoping they have potential transfers lined up for cheaper.
Also, there’s something about losing your longest serving player. Someone who’s grown up at the club amid much hardship, in such a manner as this, that makes it a bigger call than beyond just the monetary and on-field aspect of it.
I kept nodding my head reading your post until you mentioned Chelsea.
You didn’t seriously expect Arsenal to match Chelsea ambitions-wise, did you.
€80m for a keeper worth half that amount should be enough to paint the picture.
I don’t think Chelsea will challenge but if they did, it would be because of their superior talent level which is what allowed them to win twice in the last four years under two different managers.
I like Ramsey the person a lot more than Ramsey the player and he deserves respect for how he’s represented himself and the club over the years.
That said, I don’t think there’ll be many takers willing to blow up their wage structure to accommodate his demands.
Arsenal need to stop paying silly money to players with limited abilities regardless of transfer fees.
Kolasinac ( remember him?) is on £120k per week while Alonso, an automatic starter for Chelsea, is on £90k.
Regardless of transfer fees? It doesn’t work like that unfortunately. Your issue is with poor scouting, that’s different. But clubs pay more wages if there’s no transfer fee, if they want to get a player.
However, I don’t disagree that the club need to take another look at their contracts policy. I’m guessing we’re going to see more of a gap open up between the highest earners and the up and comers, with most midrangers being sold once they gain in value. Trouble is this might be delayed because some of them may never gain value.
More frequent transfers and/or shorter deals is how I think the clubs will respond to increasing wage demands and players running down their contracts.
I agree with Shard. Ramsey’s face doesnt fit, and that’s fine, but it does not suddenly make him a sh1t player. It happens in football. Your attributes, good as they are, may not be a perfect match for a manager or a system. Matt Le Tissier was one of England most gifted forwards for many years, and his face didnt fit for England. I ind the comments around Ramsey to be trite and lazy.
There are not many central midfielders who will give a team 21 goal involvements in 36 games. That was a decisive goal intervention more than half the time. Correction… I cant think of ANY central midfielders in any major league with that return. Can anyone name one? Waiting. Josh can name whichever fantasy midfielder he wants to; we are going to find that that return is not easily replaced. Not only are we throwing that value on the trash heap — we will be getting nothing or next to nothing for the value we created. It’s rank mismanagement.
In Emery’s system with a double pivot and a hardworking 10, Ramsey was never going to fit. Even so, I think that persisting with Xhaka suggests tactical rigidity and dogmatism rather than flexibility, because Ramsey is better than Xhaka both offensively and defensively. You don’t gain ANYTHING by playing Xhaka as a pivot. Both Ozil and Torreira can strike a dead ball. Youre going to get more goal output paying AR further back, and youre going to get better defence (yep, look at the stats). But the coach is wedded to a double pivot, so Ramsey plays false 10, and Xhaka is one of the 2 pivots. It’s a waste of a space in the XI. And a waste of people’s talents. Auba is out of position, Ozil is out of position, Ramsey is out of position, and Xhaka is limited. I was going to wait until Tim’s next post to mention the Statsbomb article that Greg referenced, but since he did, I urge you to read it.
Im OK with Ramsey leaving as I’d grown tired of the tedious dance and his lack of clear commitment, and I think there’s some truth to the notion that he wanted to stay, but overplayed his hand. But the manner if it is all so unfortunate, and shows how badly run we’ve been as a club. We have a tremendous midfield resource within the team, the player is 27, and we are getting nothing for him. Ok, injuries yadda yadda yadda, but even by a conservative estimate, he’s a 40m player.
I won’t be unhappy to see Xhaka go (anyone watched Kondogbia yesterday can spare me the excuses about Xhaka), but by golly, I hope that if that happens we manage that in a better way than we have done for Ramsey.
I don’t think anyone says Ramsey is $hit, Claude, but taking his best ever return over one season and using it as a base line for his contribution is a bit misleading.
2010 season- 31 games , 5 goals 4 assists,
2011- 20- 2 -0
2012-44-3-6
2013-47-2-4
2014-34-16-10
2015-41-10-8
2016-40-6-5
2017-32-4-5
2018-32-11-12
Three really good seasons from eight isn’t bad but is it worth the £200k per week ?
Agree with the rest of your post though.