Unai Emery admitted he’s worried about his side’s away form after West Ham condemned Arsenal to a fifth league defeat of the season.
Here’s what the boss had to say to Sky Sports after the game.
On the defeat…
It’s a bad result for us. In the 90 minutes, I think maybe we didn’t deserve to lose the match because we created chances, more than them. But we did not have the control in the game that we want. We conceded a lot of corners, we conceded less chances but it was very easy to score this chance when they did their goal. After, I think there can be a reaction after this goal but we were not efficient to score. We need more to impose our game. We need more time controlling the 90 minutes, but it’s like that. We lost one big opportunity for us to be closer to the top four but next week we play Chelsea and we can recover our plan, our way and continue.
On losing three of the last four away games…
Yes [it’s a concern]. We need to be competitive at home and away. At home, we are feeling good. But away, we’re starting not to take the results like we want. Today, we must do more for impose our ideas and respect them. If we can be better across the 90 minutes and be competitive with quality we can do [better].
On being limited to loan deals in January…
Today, we have players who can do good work and win today. Sometimes we need to continue working and taking confidence. We have enough players for continuing our way. The club is working, but I’m happy with the players. We need everybody continuing even after these bad results.
‘We have players who can do good work and win today’ – then why aren’t they winning?
We have two 25 goals-a-season strikers and the greatest chance creator of the last decade. There is little excuse not to win and absolutely no excuse to not score.
Only we don’t use him. We never start we all our creative players at once, and we only have like 4 of those.
I’m not all that sure having our best two players playing in the same position is working too well for us. Few teams play with two strikers now but two strikers AND a number 10 like Ozil? This isn’t a dig at Ozil, but we are so unbalanced squad wise. I’m reaching a point where I think we should have spent that money we spent on Aubameyang on the defence or on a proper number 8 or more modern number 10.
We played all three of those players, with Mkhitaryan on the right, and Xhaka-Torreira in the back midfield against Liverpool where we played them to a draw. 4-2-3-1 Laca up top, Ozil #10, Auba on the left – his better side.
Why in the world would we not be able to impose ourselves like that against a team like West Ham? No offense to the Hammers, but seriously.
I noticed that Klopp never plays Salah, Sane, and Firmino at the same time. That would unbalance his team.
I personally think we need the 4-2-3-1 back with our best DM pairing, Xhaka and Torreira, as much as possible.
It might help just a wee bit that Hector and Nacho are coming back into the squad.
Xhaka – Torreira in front of
Nacho – Kos – Papa – Hector
Looks nice to me. Set the attacking 4 more free, Hector joining in when he can, Nacho getting those key goals in stubborn matches.
Everyone goes on and on about him not having his players, but does anyone think his Sevilla players are better than any of our current players? Suarez over Ozil and Ramsey? What the hell will we do if those players fail to acclimatize to English football like Falcao? I don’t think he can be trusted with signings if he is at this point, unable to put out his best team for Sven to see where we can improve, esspessially if the improvement we are currently seeing is being left out of the side. A complete overhaul will not happen for… Read more »
Don’t be too enamoured by Sven I don’t think his success rate has been that great so far – Aubameyang was a known top class striker. Torreira was a good find as was Guendouzi but the rest have been average to say the least. I have always said that Emery was a very poor choice – the choice was never made on ability or to maintain the “ethic of attacking football” that has been mooted about. It was made on the wages Emery was demanding, the lack of compensation that would have to be paid and willingness to work with… Read more »
So a world class striker, great midfield prospect and another younger promising player but you can’t praise him because he got in a couple of stopgaps when we were managerless and desperately needed players
I always wanted Leo Jardim but apparently Emery’s interview and presentation was better than his record would suggest
What concerns me most: at the beginnig you could see the new system more. Playing from the back, pressing up font. The players looked hard working. Now they already look tired.
That team sheet was painful to see. Go back to 433 and play your best 11 players Unai. Pretty Fckn simple
Blah blah blah in bad English..
Nice to see comments mocking the man’s English kills getting voted up on Arseblog now. Classy.
You don’t need to mock his command of the language but you can mock his managerial skills which are a fucking shambles…
His career would suggest otherwise, frankly. Emery is, at worst, competent. We were a fucking shambles last year and that’s continued. I don’t blame him for assembling an unbalanced squad full of overpaid and overrated players. Apparently we underperformed last season and we’re underperforming now… or maybe some of our players are just shit?
Classless. I’ll translate it for you: fuck off.
“Today, we have players who can do good work and win today.”
Hmmm. Looking at the starting line up, I do wonder about that actually. It wasn’t exactly littered with quality, was it? If you take out the two strikers then that’s a league cup team tbh, and they turned out a league cup performance to match.
Not sure how he’d thought he’d get control. There was a general sluggishness and lack of sharpness but the defense this time wasn’t the problem. Rather it was the lack of links between the MF and the forwards especially after about 15 minutes.
Insert Ozil there ??
Worked so well away from home last season didn’t it?
Worked well for 3 seasons before last season too. If he is that good, shouldn’t he be trying to get Ozil back on form, instead of playing him wide or just leaving him out completely?
Works both ways mate, if Ozil is that good why isn’t he trying to get into the team instead of sending his agent to talk him up?
I know Ozil seems gets better for each game he doesn’t play but we’ve had some dire matches with him playing all 90 minutes.
Hahaha….. so Ozil who cut his own vacation after a tumultuous world cup, to join his teammates and new coach isn’t trying to get into the only team he is eligible to currently play for. When has his agent come out and spoken anything other than, coming out to end speculation about his client? That isn’t wrong is it? Ozil doesn’tchoose who plays, Mourinho also left Pogba out and that didn’t mean Pogba wasn’t trying to get into the team. Or is Ozil too focused on fortunate? Is Hector to focused on fashion too? What we have is a player… Read more »
I dont need to educate anyone…you have your opinion I have mine.
All i’m saying is I cant remember the last time Ozil had a good game for us. If he’s the best player we have yet doesn’t even make the squad then there must be a reason.
Spare me the hate bit please mate, I don’t know about you but I don’t know Ozil (or anyone in the arsenal squad for that matter) on a personal level to make such a judgement.
As i said….you have your opinion, I have mine.
Its OK, I respect your right to have an opinion. I was just expressing my own as well. I apologize if it came off the wrong way and I hope you can still enjoy commenting on this website. We are all arsenal fans and are all hurting too. I just have some reservations about people underestimating our squad. I think if someone told us 2 years ago that we would have Ozil, Mkhi, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Sokratis, Koscielny, Leno, Cech, Monreal and Ramsey, we would’ve rejoiced. They are proven performers even if they are not giving us what they used to.… Read more »
No worries mate. I’m old enough and ugly enough so no harm done.
We all come here to express and debate our views, sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t and that’s all fine.
And yes, we are all frustrated after a loss, particularly when that is all we deserve, not because the other team are better but simply because we didn’t perform.
Leicester?
If didn’t work well for the last 3 seasons though did it.. the amount of times in the last few years Alexis or Ramsey won the game for us with a moment of magic, the amount of times we couldn’t control the game against shit teams and got utterly destroyed against top sides with Ozil in his best position. Emery didn’t take over the invincibles mate, we’ve been shit for years now
Fraud
No, sorry I disagree. We did deserve to lose and it looked we had no gameplan. We lack any sort of penetration and fluidity under Emery. He is chopping and changing system, formation, players the lot. This is not his team, but I think he is trying his best. This unfortunately doesn’t bode well for us and he seems hell bent on omitting Ozil, I think because of the appalling amount of money he’s on. Either way he’s our best creator and to not play him is biting your nose to spite your face. Emery won’t get beyond a poor… Read more »
I think this is spot on. Emery seems lost. The early season promise seems to be disappearing and we are back with no press and no plan. Can’t understand why Torreira was on the bench and why Özil wasn’t in the squad. I want to believe in him, but I find myself wondering who will be at AFC longer, Emery of Özil?
@chuffy @DavidAGonner I completely agree.
Agree. Emery seems to want to stamp his authority on the team to its detriment.
Got branded as tottenham troll for saying we should be cautious and that a point won’t be that bad ?.Just didn’t feel it for this game when you own manager speaks about how tough this is gonna be.maybe not show an inferiority complex to the players already feeling the heat?
And if he’d come out saying this was an easy game then you’d be saying Emery wasnt taking it seriously, so which one is it?
We were shit and our mediocrity showed.
And on Emery,said this before but sure,give him time.but if things are still pretty much the same in terms of performance,maybe we should think about the coach.Not asking for UCL qua. or sack.just want to see some sort of plan/structure that makes sense and we are working towards.
If you loose you deserve it. End of.
Same as if you lose? 🙂
Well I do apologize for not always spelling correctly in my third language…
We created more chances than them. We created nothing and probably still wouldn’t have scored if we were still playing. We did deserve to lose!
Didn’t think there was much to choose between the teams in this game other than West Ham seemed more motivated and obviously managed to score. The main difference is that we have a much bigger wage bill and are supposed to have top four aspirations. On todays showing we will do well to hold on to fifth place. Would definitely have started Ramsey instead of Guendouzi,you can’t keep rescuing games with your halftime substitutions.
I Miss Arsene 🙁
Don’t worry ‘Lord Bendtner’ is coming out of prison soon!
I miss the Arsene of 20 or even 10 years ago. Our current situation has a lot to do with his shortcomings as a manager, let’s not suddenly forget that. He will always be my favourite Arsenal manager and an absolute hero of mine but he did decline and, sadly, a lot of this is on him.
Oh dear. “I’m happy with the players”. Unbelievable
What’s he going to say? “My players are shit and I have to rely on skhodran Mustafi ffs”
that old chestnut
At this stage I would take one of the loan players on offer (Suarez or Churrasco) if it will at least shake things up a bit in midfield. Iwobi, Guendouzi, and Maitland-Niles are not quite at the level we need to get back into the top four. Would they even get on the bench at Spurs or Chelsea? All three have a good future but in tough away games at Liverpool and West Ham they aren’t reliable assets.
Exactly. Guendouzi is to me much more of a liability than Mustafi and Xhaka. Just pay attention to him for 90 minutes you’ll see.
AMN really had some poor moments as well in this game, our right side was non existent at all (while the 3421 exacerbate the pressure on wingbacks).
They are being exposed having so much match time.
But if you can develop market value and actually SELL THEM, then it’s alright.
Maybe our noses are too close to the bigger picture.
When push comes to shove, Guendouzi buckles. He’s too soft to start games and seems confused about what to do with the ball most times that makes him seem to hesitate and invite unnecessary pressure on himself from the opponents. His defensive duties are appalling to say the least. He seems so scared to tackle other players advancing with the ball towards our eighteen yard box, and will rather escort them until any of our central defenders leaves his position to step in and help him out (temporarily) of his misery and then it repeats all over again. Has he… Read more »
Churrasco???? yes please!….i’ll have a churrasco anytime!…just not on loan, give me a churrasco and you’ll never see it again…yum!
Whatever player you give to Emery..Iwobi and Gandouzi will always start.. This guy is crazy..
Just like Southampton, Brighton and all the dropped points against shit teams, his selection amd tactics have been poor.
A few more poor results like that and the knives will be out for Emery, unfortunately.
The line up didn’t fill me with confidence. Ozil could have done a job today.
The knives could be out after Chelses.
Think I can see a few already.
There is only one way i will support Emery and that is if he starts academy players from now on , we are not getting anything this season so let the youngsters gain experience and build a bright future with them.
So many people warned us ‘Be careful what you wish for’ and this is what we got when we allowed people like Piers Morgan and the rest of the ‘Wenger Out’ loudmouths to dictate to a great football club like Arsenal. Who are they gonna blame next week; pick a player?
Unai Emery doesn’t seem to be the answer, that doesn’t mean that Arsene didn’t need to go. Arsene is largely responsible for a lot of the problems, but Unai doesn’t seem to have a clear plan. Now that the players are physically and mentally knackered, can’t run around more and aren’t fitter than the opposition, the coach doesn’t seem to have much else to offer.
I never thought of the whole fitness thing but it now seems like our running has stopped and our lack of a clear game plan, defensively and attacking wise.
Some of these players are simply tired of running. They’ve burn out. That means that they won’t last in a Klop or Pep team as well. They follow the motions right now, no real fighting.
It is far, far too early to say emery is or isn’t the answer right now. I think we’ve all got our rose tinted spectacles on and are forgetting just how much work this team needs. He’s been unlucky too, I really enjoyed the playing out the back but when holding and monreal got injured we could no longer do it effectively. That one player getting injured can have such a negative effect on our squad just makes me think even more strongly how much the manager needs to at least be able to make the signings he needs in… Read more »
I want him to to succeed. I think there are some very good things in what he’s done, but it’s hard to see right now.
Step #1 to get back on track: He needs to use the resources he has properly. He didn’t do that in this match with several players. And the on pitch balance was terrible.
Looking forward to City utd and Chelsea games
I’ve never felt this way before, even when we’ve lost. Two hours of my life wasted watching this. The best we could have expected to get out of this game was a draw. The lineup did not have creative players, and the wing back reliance has become predictable. Yes, we might have gotten lucky (scored a single solitary goal, and had no fefensive errors punished), but two goals was always beyond this team. UE’s style = win at all costs = zero fracking style when you lose. Zero protagonism! I’d much rather lose with 4 at the back, some creativity… Read more »
All this “we want our Arsenal back”/ “we’ve got our Arsenal back” is bullshit. We act like a right bunch of entitled cunts. Everybody whining and losing their shit at the first sign of teething troubled with a new manager.
He seems to have absolutely no clue to what fans are thinking of the match and the squad atm.
No offence but why should the manager care that much what we think of the line up?
Does anyone other than Emery really think we’re a better team without Ozil (at least on the bench as an alternative option)?
In the past seasons, Ozil was always near the top when it came to creating chances, but we lacked consistent strikers/finishers. What worries me is we now have 2 quality strikers but Emery does not seem to know how to utilize Ozil effectively. I am nowhere close to the Emery out side, but isn’t the sign of top coach/manager being able to get the best out of the players you have, especially someone as talented as Ozil?
These might not be “His” players but he still has a job to do and that is to get the most out of what he has, or have a structure and style of play being built for next season. The moment we think a single player would improve us significantly, we should know that structurally we are in trouble. Debruyne hasn’t been available this season, but it hasn’t made the difference Ozil’s omission/absence has for us. A structure allows other players to step in and offer a little of what the first choice players do. I mean he is a… Read more »
There is currently no alternative to Kolasinac (Nacho is injured and Xhaka can’t play there), Kola has contributed more this season going forward than Mesut (and the infamous Leicester game). Also for all the positives Kolasinac can’t defend in a flat back 4 and we lose much of what he offers in that formation. Add to the fact arguably our best CB this season is out indefinitely and the remnants are severely flawed, you have your answer to the system change. These are not his players, there have been several key injuries, and Emery has to play musical chairs with… Read more »
It’s not a single player. Both sides of the Ozil argument are faulting Ozil yes, or Ozil no. It’s not that. We not only didn’t have Ozil on, but we had nobody in that creative role. Putting all of the creativity weight on Iwobi, out on the left wing?? If he’s your creativity at least give him a fucking freer role. How many times did he start Ozil on the right side? How ever many it was, it was that many too many. Everyone seem to be overlooking that part of whether or not any player is their most effective… Read more »
Have tried giving UE and Mesut the benefit of the doubt in their relationship this year. However, if what we saw today was the “best it is going to get”, then not playing an injury free Ozil is ludicrous. Arsenal should be entertaining at least, and today was dross. No matter what anyone says, Ozil isn’t going to get back into form by sitting on the bench. Play him and if he doesn’t perform, sit him like anyone else.
The “best it’s going to get” could be when we beat spurs 4-2 without Ozil in the squad. It’s easy to pick the worst performance without him and make the case that’s how it is, but I could easily do the same with examples of us playing well without him
And I can easily pick some of our best matches with him in the squad playing 90 minutes. Liverpool draw, Ozil 90 minutes, and we had them shitting their shorts the first half and of the match on our counters.
Ozil in the #10 role, Auba on the left – his better side, and Lacazette up top. Xhaka and Torreira midfield pair, Holding (sigh) at CB, Kolasinac played left side of a back 4.
Liverpool and Tottenham had one thing in common – Emery got his tactics right, using his players effectively.
West Ham, maybe sometimes shit.
Fuck yea. You just did, so what’s your point? You think Ozil should never play again?
Build the team around Ozils strength dear coach….we will be a super team starightaway
Im sorry, but Arsenal are simply an unsexy team. It’ s not that interesting anymore. I don’ t believe in this club. so long, Arsenal! There is more to life than watching 6 th place mediocre teams.
You won’t be missed
We had absolutely no control in midfield. It’s funny because he has often made proactive half time substitutions when we have been better than we were today. Why he didn’t whip Xhaka and/or Guendouzi at half time after that showing beggars belief. They were brutal.
Xhaka and Guendouzi is not a good pairing.
Shame Monreal didn’t start ahead of Mustafi in back three. Maybe not quite there fitness wise.
What a hot bag of trash that was. Enough of the back 5, we can’t get the ball past the midline. Get Ozil sorted out as on his wages he’s not going anywhere, and we need his creativity. Letting Ramsey leave? Real fucking smart.
Let ramsey welbeck go for free. Want to sell ozil. We will go from Wenger out to Emery out. But unless the board and management get their act together we will be playing with 19 year of French second division players with the weight of the world on their shoulders. And how is it that our players suddenly stop moving and giving each other options. Haven’t seen a team as static or useless in movement as this. It seems like we are good only when we are under pressure or in counters. When teams sit deep there is zero creativity.… Read more »
Unai Emery is losing it this time.. Even if you give him Carrasco, Denis Suarez,Rabiot He will still play Iwobi and Gandouzi..this guy is crazy..
Emery succeeded at Seville because there was a solid squad of players.
He succeeded at PSG because there was a limitless flow of cash.
At Arsenal, there is neither a strong squad or is there any money – thanks to Kroenke and Wenger.
And he looks terribly out of his depth.
Arsenal are a struggling team that needs something else.
I don’t see him surviving beyond this summer…
Ozil’s become a better player whilst out of the team, however the reality Is he’s finished as a player, and if we don’t want an inconsistent and uninterested player-hanging around for the next 2.5yrs? Then we need to freeze him out.
Emery needs time to work, Our squad’s a mess, I thought we’d finish 6th, but I also thought Emery would get a season leeway.
Your anti ozil agenda is getting really frigging boring .yawn…give it a rest mate.guy had 170 odd G+A in 220 games before joining us and after joining the first 4 years went pretty damn well considering what we had up front.calling him finished is basically talking outta your arse.
It’s something good to realise errors because for the first 22 unbeaten games unai had been using 4231 which allowed ozil play in number 10 role but emery skipped to different formation that didn’t allow a room for our creative player,so it’s a big agony.
At best, this was a very flat performance despite several players being ‘rested’ during the week. As fans, we don’t expect to win every game but nothing can hide the lack of creativity, desire and application of the team today. West Ham weren’t particularly good but they capitalised on our one defensive error and won the game. Team selection certainly played a part today but its worrying that so few players wanted to make an impact at a time when we are slipping down the table and losing touch with teams above in the league. I keep reminding myself in… Read more »
Better than watching an insipid match under Wenger. At least UE isn’t afraid to make changes during the match. Judge him in May
Not much has changed in terms of league position since last season. We are PRECARIOUS with United very close to overhauling us. At this point, it is doubtful we will attain Top 4 pot. Yet some would deem to believe we have enough to carry through the season with just the players in hand. And its not just a deficiency of Cbacks which I feel distracts from the main issues. The team as a whole did not perform. As much as we conspire to leak goals, we never establish authority enough on the game and we conspire to miss opportunities… Read more »
The limits of the squad is obvious. Unai is a good tactician but he can only conjure so much up with current squad. Aside from deficiencies at the back (we have numbers but not quality), we have issues in midfield still and Rwing has not been resolved for several seasons now. My main worry is midfield (the engine room) where we fail to hold the ball sufficiently enough.I’m not sure about Unai’s selection today bc the strongest pair IMO is Granit-Torreira, but further forward, Auba did not help in being loose with possession losing the ball 6 to 8 times… Read more »
Upvoted this comment as it seems very well considered and rationale, despite the fact that you couldn’t help yourself and throw in that last line.
Please, use your loaf and stop hammering our new transfer team when we have a 20 year legacy manager who is far more culpable for the entire squad imbalance and the transfer malaise (some of which you accurately detail) we find ourselves having to deal with.
I am losing faith in this manager. How can you play ozil one week and make him captain then the week after drop him from the squad completely? That is terrible man management.
Starting guendonzi some kid who played 2nd division french football ahead of Ramsey is a sackable offense.
I wouldn’t trust Emery with money even if he could spend it on players he wants.
Irrespective of how good or poor the quality of the players is, you would expect more energy, effort and desire. I think the lack of those qualities is the most frustrating thing for me. This is the Arsenal you are playing for – show us that it means something to you because it sure as hell means a lot to us!
He’s run them into the ground, all that competing in training rubbish and everyone travelling to silly places for the sake of it. Our players are mentally and physically tired.
Unai reply to the question about Özil really showed his true colours….someone who is not only stubborn (Arsene was too) but most unfortunately someone who is vindictive and egoistic. Very bad for a team like Arsenal to have such a manager. He said we won or lost with or without Özil. What fkg kind of answer is that??! That statement would apply to any fkg player as well right?! its crazy!! His every words showed he is clueless of what is required of him. He even added that we didnt have control the way he wanted. Look at the players… Read more »
Emery is clearly better at preparing for interviews than at managing a team.