Match Reaction vs Fulham (away).

[Bumble]

4th place is in the bag. pity we aren't playing spurs and united next up.... really good chance to put points between us. also with more or less the same players.... perhaps Wenger is replaceable?

[I am invisible]

I don’t know why people were getting in a huff early on because he was giving the under performers a chance. It’s so early in the season and as far as I can see he’s giving the whole squad a chance while he works out what’s best for the team. The fact that we’ve won every game during this experimental period means he deserves a fair amount of credit.

It looks like the team are enjoying themesleves again and responding to some proper coaching and a new way of thinking. It’s still early days and we’re due a slip-up but I’m really encouraged so far. Long may it continue.

I’m trying to cut the fans a bit of slack as well as Emery at the moment - they’ve been waiting for this change for a long time, so I understand the impatience to a certain extent.

But I agree with everything you say though - we’re, what, 8 league games into a 3 year contract? Nowhere near enough time for Emery to have really sussed our this group of players, both on an individual level and in terms of the combinations that work.

(Plus I suspect that part of Emery’s brief, at least initially, was to try and get what he can out of the club’s big investments before writing anyone off, and that has probably meant persevering with some players a little longer than he would have done others?)

[I am invisible]

More like it. That was good to watch. I didn't expect Emery to tinker with the team selection so much and switch formations in one weekend. Good to see he's not wedded to one system.

Iwobi is a game changer. He's a totally different player under Emery.

Lacazette too. He's doing the link up play but also scoring for fun. He's become a crucial part of the team and not just a goalscorer.

May this continue. Good around performance. Keep Ozil out of the starting line up until he's able to come off the bench and contribute. If we're playing 442, Aubameyang will do some damage so I think he should be starting games. Good to Mkhitaryan get his spot back as well. Hopefully he keeps it.

Good win.

Am I just imagining it, or has Emery seemed a little freer and more ruthless with his team selections since he found out that Gazidis was leaving?

Edit: the decision on Ramsey’s contract also seems to have loosened things up a little where team selection is concerned?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Can't believe we are only 2 points off of top. I fully expected us to beat Fulham well and we did. What a great feeling!

Working on and subsequently trusting his left foot has virtually transformed Iwobi's game. Laca is stepping up a level from his previous club.

If we'd have beaten the chavs as we should have we might have been top now. WTF!!!

[Power n Glory]

I’m trying to cut the fans a bit of slack as well as Emery at the moment - they’ve been waiting for this change for a long time, so I understand the impatience to a certain extent.

But I agree with everything you say though - we’re, what, 8 league games into a 3 year contract? Nowhere near enough time for Emery to have really sussed our this group of players, both on an individual level and in terms of the combinations that work.

(Plus I suspect that part of Emery’s brief, at least initially, was to try and get what he can out of the club’s big investments before writing anyone off, and that has probably meant persevering with some players a little longer than he would have done others?)

MO knows why fans were getting in a huff over team selection if we're talking about Xhaka, Ozil and Ramsey. The introduction of Torreira has helped cover over Xhaka's flaws and has helped steady the midfield but it's far away from being perfect. Still not mobile enough to cover ground on defence or help when trying to play out from deep.

Enough has been said about Ozil. He's definitely not suited to the wing and that proven again today. As for Ramsey, the contract situation makes the decision to drop him even more obvious.

I'm all for Emery working with what he has. Iwobi, Cech, Holding, Bellerin have improved in a short space. Lacazette has morphed into a beast of a player. I can even tolerate Mustafi. But I haven't got time for indulging players and systems that are clearly flawed, showing no signs of improvement and undeserving of such leniency. A huge gripe I had with Wenger was his persistence and faith placed in flawed players and systems. I've always thought the next manager that comes in has to have the courage and balls to shake things up and not accept the subpar performances Wenger would accept week in week out.

[I am invisible]

MO knows why fans were getting in a huff over team selection if we're talking about Xhaka, Ozil and Ramsey. The introduction of Torreira has helped cover over Xhaka's flaws and has helped steady the midfield but it's far away from being perfect. Still not mobile enough to cover ground on defence or help when trying to play out from deep.

Enough has been said about Ozil. He's definitely not suited to the wing and that proven again today. As for Ramsey, the contract situation makes the decision to drop him even more obvious.

I'm all for Emery working with what he has. Iwobi, Cech, Holding, Bellerin have improved in a short space. Lacazette has morphed into a beast of a player. I can even tolerate Mustafi. But I haven't got time for indulging players and systems that are clearly flawed, showing no signs of improvement and undeserving of such leniency. A huge gripe I had with Wenger was his persistence and faith placed in flawed players and systems. I've always thought the next manager that comes in has to have the courage and balls to shake things up and not accept the subpar performances Wenger would accept week in week out.

I haven’t got time for square pegs being placed in very obviously round holes, especially when there’s more suitable (if not perfect) options there, but I can tolerate the perseverance with limited players, provided we’re only talking a matter of months, and not season after season, as we saw under Wenger. Players like Xhaka, Mustafi and Özil aren’t really my cup of tea (and between you and me I don’t see them getting much better), but as you rightly note, we have already seen improvements in several players’ games in a relatively short space of time, so there’s at least hope for them - I’m prepared to humour Emery and the club on this for a little while longer (especially if we keep churning out the wins). Alarm bells will start ringing for me, if we don’t see any signs of improvement from certain players and then start letting transfer windows slip by with no action taken.

[SMatthews]

I don’t know why people were getting in a huff early on because he was giving the under performers a chance. It’s so early in the season and as far as I can see he’s giving the whole squad a chance while he works out what’s best for the team. The fact that we’ve won every game during this experimental period means he deserves a fair amount of credit.

It looks like the team are enjoying themesleves again and responding to some proper coaching and a new way of thinking. It’s still early days and we’re due a slip-up but I’m really encouraged so far. Long may it continue.

It’s the internet. So many people think they know better than an experienced and successful manager. Everything is over analysed to the point where there is no real perspective or ability to look at the bigger picture. It all has to be perfect right now and if it isn’t then things need to change and the manager needs to do this and do that. Emery has only had 11 games and still has a lot of working out to do. Yesterday’s performance was great but it won’t be all good from here on in as you say. We’ll slog out more games, lose some and continue to mould into something new, shaking off Wenger’s hold over the team bit by bit. 9 wins out of 11 is pretty damn good by anyone’s standards. But you can be sure as soon as we draw or lose the expert fans will be out in droves telling Emery what he should be doing.

[I am invisible]

Lacazette... I think this guy is becoming my favourite player? So impressed with his attitude this year - not just because of how he’s responded to starting the season on the bench (for a new manager who is known to prefer a single CF, who also has Auba as an option), but also for how he’s managed the disappointment of not making the French WC-winning squad. So many players would have blamed that on lack of game time for their club, and would have demanded a transfer and flounced off somewhere else, but Lacazette has just got his head down and made himself one of the first names on the team sheet each week...

[Özim]

It’s the internet. So many people think they know better than an experienced and successful manager.

Sometimes they are when the guy in charge makes amateurish error after amateurish error and refuses to change the obvious!

[Özim]

Lacazette... I think this guy is becoming my favourite player? So impressed with his attitude this year - not just because of how he’s responded to starting the season on the bench (for a new manager who is known to prefer a single CF, who also has Auba as an option), but also for how he’s managed the disappointment of not making the French WC-winning squad. So many players would have blamed that on lack of game time for their club, and would have demanded a transfer and flounced off somewhere else, but Lacazette has just got his head down and made himself one of the first names on the team sheet each week...

He was brilliant for Lyon, sadly last season it wasn't working for him, Wenger didn't get the best out of him, didn't play him enough and to be honest I'm not convinced he rated him.

Fast forward 6 months and he looks a different player, the guy is an out and out finisher, that's what he does, he gets goals, sometimes out of nowhere, he's not someone who's going to produce fancy buld up play or bring players into a match, that's not his job, his job is to score goals. The last manager never rated that attribute and never understood the importance, he wanted a forward who could link up and bring other players in even if he was awful in front of goal, which explains why Giroud was number 1 for so long.

Good to see a manager who values the basics of football, been crying out for a manager who sees and accepts the simple things in football, love the fact Lacazette and Aubameyang are played in the same team as well.