Unai Emery says he’s looking forward to Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea and laid the gauntlet down to his players by saying they need to prove themselves to the fans.
The Gunners have only taken seven of a possible 18 points from our last six Premier League games, losing three times away from home after embarking on a 22-game unbeaten.
The downturn in form has seen us fall six points adrift of Saturday’s opponents leaving our hopes of a top four finish hanging by a thread. A win against the Blues is a necessity.
“I think Saturday is a big test and our first objective is to be in the top four,” Emery told his pre-game press conference.
“It’s more difficult after our defeat against West Ham but we can take positives, like if we win on Saturday. It’s a good test and challenge.
“A win will take us closer to them. This will take us one step closer to our objective and this is the test. Over 38 matches some are small finals and Saturday for us is a small final.”
On what he wants to see from his squad, Emery went on: “The victory, firstly. Victory first but I think we are doing two different performances, at home and away. We want to find the balance between the two moments.
“First, we are going to go game-by-game and Saturday we are at home and I think we are doing very big matches with big confidence with our supporters and I want the same spirit and the same performance on Saturday against Chelsea.
“It’s a difficult, tough match and I think it’s a good test for us also. We wanted to go into this match with three points difference in the table, but our defeat at West Ham doesn’t give us this possibility.
“But Saturday, I am looking forward to playing this match because I want to look at my team, our team, playing with a good performance and also to show our supporters we can do more and we can do better than we are doing away.”
Put three in midfield with one being Ozil then.
Please go with a classic 1RB, 2CB, 1LB
I’m so sick of the three CB formation. And what makes me even sicker is that awful Turquoise jersey, oh my God for some reason it looks even more disgusting when we are losing. At least we’ll be in the Red and White
I totally agree – that kit is horrible & we always play crap in it!
I quite like the turquoise but what I do not understand is why it appears essential to wear it at every game away from home. Back in the day when players did not get injured and queued for the bus home with the fans after the game (Charlie George is full of annecdotes like that!) Arsenal wore red and white home and away unless the opposition colours clashed in which case it was yellow and blue. Now it seems that alternative colours are worn regardless and there are several “changed strips” depending upon which competition we are playing in. It… Read more »
I agree, the 3 CB’s is just too conservative. I know Emery’s focus is ony tightening up our defense, but the simple fact is we’re going to concede goals with our less than great personnel. Might as well go all out attacking and play to our strengths. Would rather see us get back to scoring ways and maybe concede the odd goal.,
I understood it with the injuries as a way of making Kolasinac work, but with Monreal and Bellerin back, there’s no need to deviate from a back four. The midfield seriously needed to be reinforced last weekend with someone to hold and distribute and advance the ball. Five defenders combined with two strikers is just a ridiculously imbalanced lineup.
Buying quality players would be a start
Buying any players at all would be a start.
Kos – Papa – Nacho
Bellerin – Torriera – Xhaka – Kola
Ozil
Lacazette – Auba
If Nacho is fit to start,
Bellerin Mustafi, Sokratis, Nacho
Torreira, Xhaka
Ozil/Ramsey
Laca, Auba, Iwobi
I think we played in a 4-3-3 in the first match and could/should’ve been 5-2 up at half time.
I would like to see something like this:
Leno
Hector, Papa, Kos, Nacho
Xhaka,Torreira, Ramsey
Iwobi, Laca, Auba
I’m sure Enery will field a completely different team though 😀
Would go with that too. I think, on paper, that is our best team. We have really missed Bellerin’s pace and width on the right.
Line up is faultless
Taking a risk by playing without a goalkeeper
I hope the week long break has given Emery and the team to learn the lessons they keep saying after every defeat.
Come on let’s kick some arse this weekend. It’s the same squad that lost to West Ham also won against the Spuds (and lost as well). Hopefully it’s the version that will get us the 3 points tomorrow that we’ll see.
We know you can do better, that’s why we are asking for changes amid this poor spell of form. It is disappointing to lose, but to have no clear strategy that can put us ahead of our rivals in the future is what is so worrying. I don’t see anything which makes me think “if we perfect this way of playing, we will be able to compete for the league soon”.
Well, he is having to 1st work with what he got, which may not be what he requires. What worries me more is the body language change, I don’t see the “common, we can do this !!” Spirit out there anymore, hopefully only a Mather of dip in form.
Unai Emery is not in my good book. But I wish him and the team the very best for tomorrow. COYG!
Your book:
Short, poorly written, full of hand-waving arguments, and bad grammar. In short, not a good book.
Homer’s book on the other hand is just poisonous & petty.
The “Scratch n Sniff” portion was unnecessary as well. 1 star.
He was in your good book one month ago with 20 games without defeat. Things change so quick with Arsenal fans nowadays.
Other than being easier than thinking, why do people always pull the “you weren’t saying this when…” act especially when people have, in fact, been saying this? The comments on this blog have featured a lot of healthy skepticism this whole season; it’s possible to enjoy winning AND think critically.
I have never been happy with Unai Emery and a study of my previous comments will reveal why. I will say no more as Yankee Gooner has already expressed my thoughts.
we were never convincing in the 20 game run, occasionally, but mostly lucky. now we are regressing to the mean
I think you’ll all find that we are doing what every team in the League does…win some and lose some! An idea so atrocious to some they just can’t comprehend it.
Our defence is shambolic. We have no balance in our team. Star players left out to cause friction. Abu missed big chances. We play with too many holding midfielders. No solid and useful transfer activities. Lacazet is either taken off too early, or stays on the bench. The team has no confidence. Leno is shit in the air. Back room staff leaving. No money to play with in the market. Ramsey leaving us for free!!!
Given all that, I would say let’s be fking realistic and admit coming 6th would be our best chance.
Let’s turn it back on again big time. Back in red and white, at home, with the crowd behind the team in a massive London derby. Should be a cracking atmosphere and it’s the opportunity to get the season back on track after a little wobble. A loud 60,000 with the kind of atmosphere we had in the 4-2 mauling will go a long way to helping us secure the three points. COYG!
Same players available that tore the Spuds a new one a few weeks a go at the Emirates. Please leave the 19 year old Ligue 2 player on the bench. COYG
People have no idea how bad Guendouzi really is. Just watch him closely during the game he has poor positioning, poor resisting pressure, poor long range shoot, poor defensive contribution and impact.
All he has is a good long range pass and those beautiful curly hair
Yes I watched closely and would recommend a trip to spec saver!
I don’t think I could disagree with you more! Yes, there are glitches that need ironing out, but he’s 19 and new to this level. If you watch every match, the first person to offer a safe ball out for any team mate in a cul-de-sac is Guendouzi (virtually 100% of the time). Total selflessness and a willingness to learn and improve. When you compare that to the ‘can’t be arsed’ attitude of some of our ‘stars’ I know who I’d be investing in.
I think for a first year 19 yo he looks great and will be a great player for us.
But I’d be starting Xhakeira without a second thought.
contribution and impact are the same thing in this context. And you are talking nonsense. I’m sure you think you know more the Emery , but you don’t. Accept you don’t know most things and have a happier life!
Very few midfielders break through at under 20yrs old. If they do, everyone can see the quality. Like Cesc for instance. Willingness and quality is not the same thing. I think he´s got potential and should get some games but leaving Torreira on the bench is BS.
Emery getting slated not long ago for overplaying Torreira….and then when he tries to give him a break getting slated again. Sigh.. .
He was only left on the bench against West Ham because Emery had hoped not to play him at all as if he got a yellow card he would miss the Chelsea match
Torreira has 14 starts and Gendouzi 13 this season.
Nope. Clock starts again at new year – no ban for reaching 5 bookings after 31/12. It’s now 10 bookings by April sometime.
Thanks for clearing this up.
I don’t belive anymore. Which is really sad, it’s been a steady decline for the past 10 years, but I think I’m finally getting over the glory days. We are a club on pararity with the likes of west ham and Everton and Will be for some time.
Until Stan fucks off.
Lost interest in the results – just want to see Unai start to flip the squad. Happy if he sells players and plays the kids till the end of the season.
Selling UnAi is the better end.
Remember how that quote from Alan Hansen came back to bite his arse???
Flog the prima donnas, get Reiss back from Germany, and let the kids have a go.
This season has gone anyway but get the youth playing together consistently and they will gain the experience and confidence necessary to dominate the Premier League for the next 10 years just like that Manchester club did and it wasn’t City who went out and bought a team!
Let’s stop being pessimistic! I know it’s not great at the moment, but we knew it would be a long and – sometimes – uncomfortable ride. Our greatest sides contained no stars that we bought as stars. We MADE them stars. And we’ll do it again. When the crims and sugar-daddies withdraw their cash from Man Shitty, Cheski, Manure, and The Mugsmashers, you know who’ll be top of the heap? Us. Again.
Looks like word is Ramsey is off for 300K a week to Juve (latest from the Times) in the summer on a free. Well we can’t match that sort of salary. Good luck to him. That still means unless otherwise, we have him available till end of season albeit what sort of motivation he has if a deal is concluded already is a pertinent question. BUT it also means Ozil is still available to be moved now, again although who would pay the sort of salary for him will be an issue. If Ozil is sold and Ramsey is on… Read more »
Apparently Juve can afford that sort of money. What worries me is the guy (Rambo that is) is still putting in a decent shift knowing that he is not rated by any of the Emirates hierachy and he is being moved on so what can the Italians see in him that our management cannot? Perhaps this is the philosphy behind telling Mesut he should start looking for alternative clubs in the hope that he’ll get his arse into gear and start performing like someone who is provided with £18 million per annum. I’ll change “provided” with “earns” when he repeats… Read more »
Ramsey going is nothing to do with him not being rated…people need to stop pushing this agenda. Similarly Ozil not playing is nothing to do with him not being rated. Ramsey’s agent priced him out of the club and Ozil needs to train and work harder when he plays…as you intimated.
I certainly feel we need to offer protection at the back against Chelsea coming up this weekend but also ensure we are not wasteful with the ball going forward. At the moment, a 3 at the back is perhaps the most secure : …………………………….Laca……………………………… …………..Iwobi………………………….Ramsey…………. Kola……………………………………………………Bellerin …………………Granit……………Torreira………………… ………..Koscielny……………………………Mustafi……… ………………………….Sokratis……………………………. ……………………………Leno………………………………. I prefer Laca up top because he protects the ball that much more. Iwobi we need both to hold the ball but also to take on players. Most of our threat comes from the left for a reason. Ramsey is off to Juve in the summer but we need his… Read more »
Leno
Bell-Kos-Sok-Mon
Ram-Torr-Xhaka
Ozil
Laca-Auba
That should do it… !
Subs: Cech-Mus-Niles-Guen-iwobi-Nkhei
To watch –
Jack Ma purportedly keen to invest in Inter.
If so there maybe some cash injection and some resource to do a deal for Ozil (and his wages)
Still plenty up in the air but can’t see any other motivated buyer at the moment for the German. Inter is 3rd in Seria A and certainly need a boost to bring them back into the limelight.
If Ozil is sold, there will be money for say Carrasco plus some.
Neither Ozil nor Ramsey are going anywhere this window.
As a different tactic can’t Emery say…. Ozil son don’t track back but make sure you do your thing properly…and as a compensation just ask one of his wing backs to restrict the fdd movement….
Just thinking:)
Massive game tomorrow. Lose and top-four is surely gone; win and we still have a glimmer of hope.
The Chavs are very beatable. They struggle to find the net and are not that great defensively. If we turn up then I can see us nicking it 2-1.
I’d go with;
Leno
Hector Musti Papa Nacho
Lucas Xhaka
Auba Özil Iwobi
Laca
I’ve been an arsenal fan for over 26 years. During that time, I’ve seen very high moments and quite low ones. However, I have never been this emotionally detached from the club. From the Board, to the manager, players, and all the way to the fans, I feel like I don’t know this club anymore
Try to make your motivation great again.
Many of us feel the same way. It’s a shame we have an owner who can’t be bothered to turn up for games or communicate with the media or our fans. The recent death of Peter Hill-Wood reminded me how the club was when I first became a fan in the Seventies. We had class and stood for something. Winning trophies was always the absolute priority. Now all that matters to the club is the balance sheet. We’ve been like this for years. With no ambition I just can’t get too excited about anything we do anymore.
Unfortunately, it is the crap capitalist society we live in today. Everything revolves around money. You cannot read a report about opening a new sports facility or whatever without the emphasis being on how much it cost not what it will do for those lucky enough to use it or the community where it is built. Sport is just a cash generator for rich bastards that do not need any more money anyway but inherent greed makes them keep grabbing. Just look at what happened to Formula 1 racing from the 1970’s until now. Football is going the same way… Read more »
3 generations of Hill Woods was real stability. They loved the club and showed it week in week out like true fans. The 70s and 80s were great times with players who were fans too and actually gave a shit. Not about how much money they get. Things will never be the same. The game has changed, the world has changed. All for the worse
The trouble is that for many fans winning trophies wasn’t enough…unless it was the PL trophy, and as we have seen you probably won’t get to win it unless you have the wealth of a small country or ownership willing to invest…and we have neither. That shouldn’t stop you supporting the team you love. Recently, even winning isn’t enough for some fans. A draw invites scepticism and a loss results in a complete meltdown of the fan base. I blame social media to an extent, but maybe we are just discovering how many of the fans are fairweather or glory… Read more »
Ozil in torreira in bellerin in and we have a chance
Cech
Bellerin sokratis koscielny kolasinac
Xhaka torreira ozil
Iwobi lacazette aubameyang