Match Reaction v West Ham (away).

[fakeyank]

No we don't need to replace them all immediately but the sooner the better if we're going to get challenging again.

Our net spend is reasonable, in reality though we've waste a lot of money on the wrong players and also sold poorly and lost players for nothing who were worth a fair amount (Sanchez should have been worth 60-70 million).

Klopp has done amazingly though, he's brought in quality whilst selling really well, meaning their net spend in 18 million and yet there they are top of the league (and in the CL final last season - his 2nd season so Emery has got to get a move on), Spurs too have worked wonders, 50 million net spend and yet they are miles ahead of us overall.

Our setup has been terrible for years and we've done it again with Ramsey, lost out on 40-50 odd million and based on last summers' budget we could illafford to miss out on that kind of money, on top of that we have very few players in the squad who are worth anything of note, so unless we get lucky with some talented youngsters or cheap buys we're going to struggle without significant investment in the team from somewhere.

I think we are generally just a very poorly run 'top' club. Emery really has his work cut out at this club.

[SMatthews]

we haven't won the league in nearly 15 years!!! I am not sure we are a title winning club we are 4th - 6th place club so Emery does suit us. In terms of wages we are behind Chelsea, United, City and possibly Liverpool (not sure on that). In terms of spending we are behind Chelsea, United, City and Liverpool (although again they seem to make a ton of cash on players to re-invest). So we should be 5th.

the frustrating thing is the stadium move was supposed to push us to the next level. but again its the players who have done well out of the stadium move with the salaries we are paying.

and I agree with others here who have said the football seems to be reverting back to last season. I was enjoying the football, it was good to watch, we attacked and scored goals and committed stupid defensive errors but it was still enjoyable to watch. Now the scoring has stopped, and we are still comedic in defence.

Anyway Chelsea up next so that could spur us onto another unbeaten run or thinks could get a bit spicy already especially with United in the cup on the horizon.

Fans perceptions are crazy sometimes. Emery is trying shift a 20 odd year legacy out of the club and that won’t happen overnight. Take one look at Utd and that shows us everything we need to see. Of course we aren’t going to switch into a new, permanent style in the first season. It will be great sometimes, and at other times not. And West Ham was the first time we’ve not scored in the PL this season, so I’ve no idea where this idea ther we’ve stopped scoring has come from - we’ve even scored more now in the PL than at the same stage last season (6 more). And some fans are even saying he should go at the end of the season - I can just see the big names queuing up to take the job to replace him...

[Letters]

I think we are generally just a very poorly run 'top' club. Emery really has his work cut out at this club.

I used to think we were really well run and I think back in the day we were but now, not so much.
I pretty much agree that Wenger made some bad decisions and mismanaged certain things but the problems run much deeper than that.
I always felt that while there were problems at board level replacing Wenger wouldn't achieve much (although I agree that needed to happen).

https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/20...nke-investment

[selassie]

Fans perceptions are crazy sometimes. Emery is trying shift a 20 odd year legacy out of the club and that won’t happen overnight. Take one look at Utd and that shows us everything we need to see. Of course we aren’t going to switch into a new, permanent style in the first season. It will be great sometimes, and at other times not. And West Ham was the first time we’ve not scored in the PL this season, so I’ve no idea where this idea ther we’ve stopped scoring has come from - we’ve even scored more now in the PL than at the same stage last season (6 more). And some fans are even saying he should go at the end of the season - I can just see the big names queuing up to take the job to replace him...

Its not about him going, it’s about him working with what he has and getting the absolute maximum performance out of them. He has regularly said that he is happy with his squad and has top class players.

I personally think the team has another level or two in it if really pushed, we have seen glimpses of what the team is capable of already this season, where is the consistency?

I realise the team / squad has limitations, I realise that we are realistically the 6th best team in the league, but I’m not entirely sold on Emery, I’m not clear on his playing style, favoured starting line up, formation and his ambition. It all seems a bit vague to me and I’m not comfortable with that.

At some stage Emery is going to have to be judged on a results and performance basis, that’s all he is accountable for.

[SMatthews]

Its not about him going, it’s about him working with what he has and getting the absolute maximum performance out of them. He has regularly said that he is happy with his squad and has top class players.

I personally think the team has another level or two in it if really pushed, we have seen glimpses of what the team is capable of already this season, where is the consistency?

I realise the team / squad has limitations, I realise that we are realistically the 6th best team in the league, but I’m not entirely sold on Emery, I’m not clear on his playing style, favoured starting line up, formation and his ambition. It all seems a bit vague to me and I’m not comfortable with that.

At some stage Emery is going to have to be judged on a results and performance basis, that’s all he is accountable for.

There are certainly more people saying he should go - even on this forum, which is probably the smallest sample size available. Of course he’s going to say he’s happy with the squad if he’s not being given the money right now to replace them - the summer will show whether that’s the truth or not. We’ve seen Jose throw several players under the bus at Utd and that worked out really well for him.

He’s shifted formations to try and protect the defence but it hasn’t worked. We always wanted a manager who reacted to the opposition and set up accordingly, so it works both ways. His style is clear enough but whether this squad can implement is another matter entirely. He’s six months into the job and has been given hardly anything to spend - what sort of identity or changes are we expecting already? You won’t find consistency when trying to radically change a style and identity that has existed for well over a decade. It will be in fits and starts at this point.

There’s this constant demand for instant results but it’s unrealistic given the scale of his job. He needs to be judged properly if there is a budget in the summer and then what Mislintat and co do with it, then we can see where we are next January. Six months doesn’t even scratch the surface of the job on his hands here. Emery may not be the answer, but he at least deserves more patience than he’s getting. The very best managers make mistakes all the time - the difference is they usually have great players to cover them up. Emery doesn’t. And unless we sell to reinvest, or miraculously stumble across a few hundred mill down the back of the sofa - 5/6th is as good as it gets.

Two different managers, same players and same results - it shows where the problems are to be fixed - Arsenal fans have been banging on about that for years. Now this team all of a sudden has more to offer but it’s the managers not getting it out of them? On paper, or on the field, this squad is performing to its limit, which we saw during the unbeaten run, and even then we were as creaky as hell at times.

[Penguin]

It's disappointing how we've faded away and gone back to old habits after a promising start. When I watch us play there are still too many similarities to Wenger's faults. It was never going to be plain sailing but I at least expected Emery to fix up our defending, give us a faster and more positive style of football.

Emery needs a chance to sign the players he wants and get rid of the players he doesn't. The squad is full of Wenger flops and Emery shouldn't be judged because of them. But if August comes and Mustafi and Xhaka are still here and starting matches for us I'll give up on Emery.

[KSE Comedy Club]

as Ian Wright said on MOTD, we need to play Ozil xconsistently at least for a few games to see if he can deliver more often.

In the Burnley game he helped create two goals and was the creative feed, ok not for the whole match but enough to make the crucial difference. And other times he was making himself available for the ball a lot but Xhaka wasn't putting his head up to spot him (in the same way he often doesn't spot Kola in space either)

Xhaka really is shit btw that header to cause the goal in the West ham match was non-league stuff

Yes but this is entirely the point & what Wright and others keep failing to see.

We do need to play him consistently for him to have an impact or try to.

The problem is we can’t as he is injured every other game or two, or doesn’t turn up mentally (as witnessed the past season or two, prior to Emery).

Emery knows this and clearly, has tried to make some effort with Ozil this season but has seen something in him that can’t be changed - hence why he has fallen so out of favour with him now, that he doesn’t even make the squad.

My opinion is that he is done at the top level. Yes he might be able to produce the odd moment of magic but they have become few and far between and he isn’t cable of being consistent enough to warrant being here anymore or at any other top club for that matter.

We will be really lucky if we can sell him in the summer for a reasonable fee tbh.

[KSE Comedy Club]

There are certainly more people saying he should go - even on this forum, which is probably the smallest sample size available. Of course he’s going to say he’s happy with the squad if he’s not being given the money right now to replace them - the summer will show whether that’s the truth or not. We’ve seen Jose throw several players under the bus at Utd and that worked out really well for him.

He’s shifted formations to try and protect the defence but it hasn’t worked. We always wanted a manager who reacted to the opposition and set up accordingly, so it works both ways. His style is clear enough but whether this squad can implement is another matter entirely. He’s six months into the job and has been given hardly anything to spend - what sort of identity or changes are we expecting already? You won’t find consistency when trying to radically change a style and identity that has existed for well over a decade. It will be in fits and starts at this point.

There’s this constant demand for instant results but it’s unrealistic given the scale of his job. He needs to be judged properly if there is a budget in the summer and then what Mislintat and co do with it, then we can see where we are next January. Six months doesn’t even scratch the surface of the job on his hands here. Emery may not be the answer, but he at least deserves more patience than he’s getting. The very best managers make mistakes all the time - the difference is they usually have great players to cover them up. Emery doesn’t. And unless we sell to reinvest, or miraculously stumble across a few hundred mill down the back of the sofa - 5/6th is as good as it gets.

Two different managers, same players and same results - it shows where the problems are to be fixed - Arsenal fans have been banging on about that for years. Now this team all of a sudden has more to offer but it’s the managers not getting it out of them? On paper, or on the field, this squad is performing to its limit, which we saw during the unbeaten run, and even then we were as creaky as hell at times.

This is very much the crux of it.

Realistically, Emery needs 2-3 seasons to cement his vision for the squad and play style, with the personnel he needs, before we can even think about him outlaying his plans for the title and future successes tbh.

We have spent a decade in a footballing knightmare where mediocrity and failure were allowed, encouraged and rewarded and to be ‘ok’.

The whole culture of the players is set in it’s ways and we are seeing that now with the way the team are performing

We do need a clear out. We do need some fresh blood and a new perspective in the squad, but that takes time and money.

For me, Emery gets three seasons.

Three seasons, to turn things around and change the mindset of what this team has become.

Am I happy with our recent performances? No way.
Am I happy about our defence becoming even worse than ever? Hell no!
Am I happy about our slow paced, passing back to keeper with no attack whatsoever? Not a fucking chance!

These are all questions that need to be asked of Emery as to what the fuck is going on in training right now and why he hasn’t chosen a consistent starting eleven - he doesn’t get away Scot free because the players are being twats.

But he still gets his three seasons to try and make a difference.

2021 Unai. The clock is ticking

[KSE Comedy Club]

It's disappointing how we've faded away and gone back to old habits after a promising start. When I watch us play there are still too many similarities to Wenger's faults. It was never going to be plain sailing but I at least expected Emery to fix up our defending, give us a faster and more positive style of football.

Emery needs a chance to sign the players he wants and get rid of the players he doesn't. The squad is full of Wenger flops and Emery shouldn't be judged because of them. But if August comes and Mustafi and Xhaka are still here and starting matches for us I'll give up on Emery.

Agreed

[selassie]

There are certainly more people saying he should go - even on this forum, which is probably the smallest sample size available. Of course he’s going to say he’s happy with the squad if he’s not being given the money right now to replace them - the summer will show whether that’s the truth or not. We’ve seen Jose throw several players under the bus at Utd and that worked out really well for him.

He’s shifted formations to try and protect the defence but it hasn’t worked. We always wanted a manager who reacted to the opposition and set up accordingly, so it works both ways. His style is clear enough but whether this squad can implement is another matter entirely. He’s six months into the job and has been given hardly anything to spend - what sort of identity or changes are we expecting already? You won’t find consistency when trying to radically change a style and identity that has existed for well over a decade. It will be in fits and starts at this point.

There’s this constant demand for instant results but it’s unrealistic given the scale of his job. He needs to be judged properly if there is a budget in the summer and then what Mislintat and co do with it, then we can see where we are next January. Six months doesn’t even scratch the surface of the job on his hands here. Emery may not be the answer, but he at least deserves more patience than he’s getting. The very best managers make mistakes all the time - the difference is they usually have great players to cover them up. Emery doesn’t. And unless we sell to reinvest, or miraculously stumble across a few hundred mill down the back of the sofa - 5/6th is as good as it gets.

Two different managers, same players and same results - it shows where the problems are to be fixed - Arsenal fans have been banging on about that for years. Now this team all of a sudden has more to offer but it’s the managers not getting it out of them? On paper, or on the field, this squad is performing to its limit, which we saw during the unbeaten run, and even then we were as creaky as hell at times.

Oh Emery is a far superior tactician to Wenger, I have no doubt about that and I have been happy in the main with his pragmatic approach to game management.

Where I'm uncomfortable with Emery is with his recent chopping and changing of the formation and personnel to protect the defence. It isn't working, if anything we look a lot worse in all areas, he absolutely should not be persisting with this 5 at the back malarkey. We were doing fairly well last year with the 4-3-3 formation, yes we got lucky and yes the defence was leaky...but I see no improvement or progress with this back 5, we look worse!

I know I have come across quite strong on Emery but it is only because what I saw in the early stages was very promising compared to the current mess.

I didn't expect top 4 this season and am happy to write off this season but I do want to see some sort of progress, yes I realise that we may not have the personnel that Emery wants to execute his project, but at some point he is going to have to stick to a trusted formation with the players he has and make do with it. Yes we have limitations in the team / squad....but we genuinely did look like we were moving forward earlier on in the season, we looked like a legit top 4 team...not anymore...we have gone back to that "Wenger" clone team of last season!