Unai Emery says he was about to make a change before Arsenal scored their opening goal in the 2-0 win over Everton yesterday, and that it was the scorer, Alexandre Lacazette, who was going to make way.
The Gunners had struggled to find their range against the Toffees, but when Aaron Ramsey fed the French international in the box he unleashed a fantastic shot which flew past Jordan Pickford to make it 1-0.
On the sideline, with Alex Iwobi stripped and ready, the boss had to have a rethink about his change, and while he was doing that the lead was doubled through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s fourth goal of the season and in the end it was the Gabon forward who came off.
Speaking afterwards, Emery confirmed he was about to send on his second substitute of the day before the former Lyon man hit the target.
“We needed to change something in this moment to give us another individual quality on the pitch,” he said.
“Then we scored the goal and I decided to stop it and think again about who we need next.”
And when asked if Lacazette was going to be the man to be replaced, he continued, “I don’t think it’s important, but maybe yes!
“Football is like that.”
It’s a funny old game, and all that, but let’s be thankful that change hadn’t been made yet because it was one of the best goals we’ve scored all season and a very important one too.
Would it be worth Emery trying Laca out wide and Auba through the middle? Laca seems more capable of creating his own chances, and Auba’s strength lies through the middle… or am I missing something about Laca?
How about Aubameyang as the striker and Laca as the no. 10. Iwobi on the left and Mikhi/Özil on the right.
I would like to see that. Ramsey hasn’t been up to par yet and Iwobi has looked very bright when he has played.
Below par Ramsey with two assists against Everton? Am I missing something here bud?
Would people stop crying about this? They were both playing on the wings in France, then Auba went to BVB and continued on the wing. They all later switched to number 9. Auba because somehow Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos were not playing well and Laca because Gomis was sold to Swansea. Both had success in the middle but people forget that and tend to think it’s only Auba who was good there. If you watch the bundesliga, it’s always an open end to end game that suits Auba but Lava played in a league where you have to hold… Read more »
At the moment, Lacazette needs to be starting up front for sure. Auba has the pace to be effective enough, and when laca scored he had switched to the left anyway, it’s a very fluid front three and it is working. Auba has always been quiet on the pitch apart from goals.
Anyway it worked out perfectly for Unai, Laca scored, and Auba got his much needed goal to continue his confidence boost, and he got to rest him after playing on Thursday. Win win!
I think same too
Just need to get that fluid movement between the players. For the goal, Laca came from left whilst Auba was central. The more they play the better that relationship will be.
Still think a 4-3-1-2 formation gets more round pegs in round holes
I also kinda like the idea of auba and laca up front, then in midfield have Torerria, Xhaka, Miki/iwobi and ozil/Ramsey – until we sell ramsey in January!!! I would then get a decent defender in and use the exit of Ramsey and mustafi to fund it!!!
Yeah would like us to explicitly set up like this. Sometimes, if you squint really hard, you can sort of see this shape on the pitch, despite us nominally being in 4231.
We always look most dangerous when Lacazette and Aubameyang play quickly between them centrally just in front of the box. Emery’s history indicates a fairly set playbook, though, and diamond midfields don’t seem to be in it.
A diamond could work though you have the issue of strongly relying on fullbacks for attacking width, which can cause issues for the defence and the pace of the attack. An alternative would be a 4-3-3, using Aubameyang and Lacazette a bit how Liverpool use Salah and Firmino, but that means Ozil playing at CM or on the wing.
Shows that luck plays a big part in any individual match and can affect a season too if it helps get us on a run.
And what a goal it was!
I still think we need one more World class striker/winger like Laca or Auba for rotation. If we can get that guy we’ll be unstoppable in all competitions. Welbeck is a great squad player but we need somebody World Class who can come in and challenge Auba and Laca. Right now it’s Auba, Laca, Welbeck and Eddie I would love Auba, Laca, ? and Welbeck (send Eddie out on loan) I really like it when we play with 2 strikers week in week out and that is exactly why we need one more top player for rotation. Someone like Reus… Read more »
The old World Class 3rd Striker trick. Good luck massaging all their egos as they clamour for gametime.
Dont get em wrong, I would like to see it too, but reality is we havent the funds to entertain it.
Nor the lies to feed the third choice.
“Did I say that? I thought I said I’d think about it. Ok if Auba and Laca don’t pick up a knock or suspension I’ll think about giving you some games from the start. Thanks for being patient and understanding”.
Or We can play 3 at the back and play all 3 strikers(That is one of the many options). All this “we don’t have funds, we can’t bench a striker because we need to keep him happy” is a myth. If we go by that logic this club will never win the PL let alone the CL. Laca and Auba are in their prime. We don’t necessarily have to get someone their age. We can go for someone young and talented like Timo Werner(20+ goals player) who wouldn’t mind being benched. If i were him i would take a big… Read more »
If all three of the strikers are playing at the same time, that shoots your rotation rationale in the foot somewhat.
We used to that(all three strikers up front..or more like everyone playing upfront thought they are strikers) when we played. We also had at least 5 teams playing simultaneously on that 40x40m area!
Well..it doesn’t work like that.
LOL yeah exactly…Luckily Auba and Laca have a great bromance going but even Laca looked decidedly piqued at not playing on Thursday…I can’t see a third striker feeling any different sat on the bench waiting for Laca or Auba to get injured.
@Ausdrexler
If Zidane cared too much about massaging egos he wouldn’t have benched Gareth Bale in a Champions League final.
Like it or not, Real Madrid are in the Champions League and one of the most successful clubs in the world consistently. They have always liked to collect top players and can often keep them happy because they are constantly in all of the top competitions and often winning them. Let’s just hope that with the current crop we can get back into the CL and moving upwards, and let’s support them to help with that 🙂
yeah, laca, a class act
Ive been a big support of giving Emery time and still am, but I have to honest, one of my biggest hope was that we would get a manager who isn’t particularly wielded to a preset formation and also wouldn’t try and show-horn players in and also have a meritocracy. I think it’s clear we’re not deviating from a 4-2-3-1 and I guess I have to accept that (I’d like a 3-5-2 based on our squad), but I’m getting concerned there IS an established hierarchy; mainly Auba, Ozil and Ramsey are at the top. Iwobi is knocking on the door,… Read more »
We have players with horns? It’s lichtsteiner isn’t it?
No. its Guendouzi. i always knew he must be hiding something under all that hair. Devilish boy that he is.
I think it’s too early in the season to suggest that Emery is welded to anything other than a desire to win and play high-intensity football. Of course he has to win over the club’s senior players, and he’s a smart coach — he is putting all of his healthy captains out there each game to lead by example (i.e., this is the new system we play). We’re playing the same formation so that the players learn the style and understand the plan, from top to bottom, before we start altering formations. Emery needs time and patience from us. We’ve… Read more »
Emry says we didn’t have the ball, and Lacazette said we have balls !!
Interesting. I felt Aubameyang if anything would be the one I would have subbed off for Iwobi. Aubameyang was not controlling the ball enough for us. many times he would head the ball blindly back to opponents. When he broke, his touch tended to be heavy and he could not keep ball. The other issue with Aubameyang is defensively, he offered less protection to Monreal (who twice was caught on the left high up leaving an opening for Calvert-Lewin and later Walcott both in one on one with Cech) The other player that was (eventually subbed) largely a bit anonymous… Read more »