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...
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
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.
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.
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.
Last edited by KSE Comedy Club; 15-01-2019 at 12:25 AM.
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
Last edited by KSE Comedy Club; 16-01-2019 at 11:43 AM.
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!