Unai Emery says part of the reason he took off Dani Ceballos in the second half of the 2-2 draw with Watford is because it was very hot.
The midfielder comes from basically the hottest part of Spain, so is well used to high temperatures, but the head coach insisted the team needed fresh legs during a second period in which Arsenal found themselves under more and more pressure.
The decision to withdraw the 23 year old sparked a mixed reaction from fans, and when asked why, Emery said, “Today it was very, very hot. We needed in the second half, some fresh players.
“We were struggling second half and I was thinking how we can improve with three players, fresh players, for give us more energy and give us also more capacity to be strong physically and tactically and also technically.”
Given the onslaught we faced, it was hard for youngsters Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson to stem the tide, while Lucas Torreira similarly found it difficult.
Captain Granit Xhaka said the team were ‘scared’ in the second half, and Emery was asked for his response to that observation.
“Maybe it’s a very individual feeling,” he said. “I think in football you never need to have scared, you need to take that moment as an experience for you and for us.
“But really I can feel the players, I can feel me the same, sometimes when we were struggling, the possibility to don’t achieve our good consequence with our game plan.
“But we need to be strong in our mentality, but not for the players, for us, and to create our way, working and improving the things like today that happened in the second half.”
Yet you left Ozil on for 11 more minutes even though he hadn’t played all season and was obviously not contributing anything on defense.
The defeat today did not have much to do with Ozil.
And our second goal had.
I think he’s just pointing out subbing out Dani for fatigue and yet leaving Ozil on isn’t a consistent narrative. No one (worth listening to) is blaming Ozil for that game.
We didn’t lose….
Felt like a loss though
We Kinda did
It felt like defeat!
We lost two points which were there on a plate.
This is one of the most brain-dead substations I can remember. He had a match-high 90% passing, and made the first goal with a tackle. He was the closest thing to controlling the game we had, but no he got hooked on 59 minutes. Unbelievable.
God. Ozil was anonymous for most of the game, he spent more time bitching to our junior players then actually trying to take control of the game. I see comments above “Ozil was not part of the reason we lost”. First off we didn’t actually lose but also he was on the pitch as our most experienced player so he is part of the reason we lost. I don’t get this blind belief that Ozil can do no wrong. The guy was terrible today, lost the ball on countless possessions & would just throw his hands up in the air.… Read more »
You tend to forget that we would’ve lost 3 points without him today.
Your opinion is a little ironic. When Ozil is to blame, plenty on here call him out. Today, most people are putting the blame on the manager and a couple of other players (some with drama-queen posts). Maybe you should look in to your blind belief Ozil can do no right.
Hurrr durrr we didn’t lose, good mentality, geezer, every arsenal fan has the right to feel defeated after giving away a 2 goal and conceding 27 shots in a half lead vs the likes of Watford who are yet to win this season. Also, the reason it wasn’t a loss was because of ozil. I get it that you’re too dumb to see what ozil adds to the team, the way he kept the ball ticking, even though you saw what happened when Nelson and willock came on. Absolute melt you are
On no account does he deserve to be termed a cancer just because we pulled a draw that’s actually a loss (we lost making 3rd place)!
He was not terrible. It is not his fault we lost. BUT he’s not strong enough, hard working enough, reliable enough or decisive enough of a player to play well vs a physical prem team even if they are bottom -especially away from home and this was very apparent vs Watford. You know that. I know that. We know that. They know that so what the actual fuck are people protecting him for? Are we now proud of this fact!? “It’s unai’s fault for picking him” “how dare Unai disrespect our one true ozil by asking him to play an… Read more »
You my friend is a Ozil hater, I’m not saying he can do no wrong but he offers way more tha Xhaka I can tell you that much,but the reason we blew a 2 goal lead comes down on the coach for his foolish tactics his foolish substitution and his inability to assess the game after the 1st half and make the necessary adjustments!
We know how brutal English summers can be on players used to Spanish climate.
They can do it in the sunshine in Madrid, but can they do it up north in the…sunshine?
I don’t know why Emery didn’t just say what is probably closer to the truth, which is that Ceballos is still getting used to the speed of the PL.
I needed this laugh. Cheers.
I am starting to think it is brutal on the managers too
could be Holding and Chambers on thursday. that makes me a bit less scared at least.
I sincerely hope Emery isn’t scared to field those two as CB, as well the likes of Willock, Nelson. Surely Holding, Chambers, Willock can’t be worse than Luiz, Sokratis and Xhaka! The former three can do with the opportunity, to show they can do better.
While agree about willock and Chambers, Nelson surely shouldn’t be starting many games that aren’t europa or the milk cup. He doesn’t add much to the team, offensively or defensively. Ozil deserves to start alongside pepe and aubameyang till laca gets better.
The quality of our players can’t keep bailing him out forever. If Emery keeeps going like this it won’t be long before he’s found managing in Russia or China.
He did manage in Russia.. Spartak Moscow sacked him though! Maybe we ought to learn from them?
Spartak did sack him in under 7 months.
Utter bollocks.
The only saving grace I have is that under Edu’s leadership this won’t go on much longer.
The players genuinely look like they don’t know what they are supposed to be doing
Yeh Luiz keep kicking long instead of passing it out from the back could be a sign or start of discontent.
honestly thats the one thing he is the best at out of our defenders.
why doesnt emery get leno to lay it off to him for a boot up to an on rushing auba or pepe?
I’m just tired…
Please change the the V in very to B…
Taking off the Spaniard because it’s too hot
Taking off the Dutchman because it’s too rainy
Taking off the Russian because it’s too cold
Taking off the Kenyan because there’s too damn far to run
The more he talks the less sense he makes…I used to think his not quite intelligible diarrhea of the mouth had an oddly sophisticated charm to it, but now it feels more like the panicked ramblings of a man way out of his depth.
Maybe though his ability to express himself in English is harder than you give him credit for.
I speak a few languages poorly enough to know it’s not easy expressing yourself fully in 2nd or 3rd or 4th language. But I can’t chalk “subbed man off cos hot” as weird due to a language barrier. It’s just a fucking bizarre statement that makes no sense in any language or context, it’s nonsense. If he meant to imply Ceballos was tired from international duty or something along those lines, surely he could say that. And if he really can’t communicate something as simple as the thinking behind a particular, and rather game changing, substitution, it makes you wonder… Read more »
He sounds like the pressure is getting to him. Becoming way too much of a shit talker. Alot of times that is a sign of the beginning of the end.
What a load of bollocks! I wish he was on his way……..
He’s not doing himself any favors with his incomprehensible answers to questions. It gives the impression he’s out of his depth and doesn’t know what he’s doing. It’s hard to trust a manager like that.
Is he made of wax! That’s a terrible excuse…I’d have rather him said…I wanted to tighten things up lol useless!!
Goodbye Unai.
Emery would be good at SEO, coz he mixes garbage rambles with the choicest of keywords and making sure people get duped into thinking there might be something worthwhile in there.
It was too hot, so I hooked him off and Xhaka Can’t says we were scared – jebus, what is Emery doing to this team and the shithouse excuses? I am all for giving managers a chance, at this rate Emery wont last the season.
Second ridiculous statement after that Xhaka comment last 2 weeks. Emery reflects every thing wrong with this team, he is too chaotic and clueless
Oh ffs I’ve heard it all now.. what sort of comedy double act are he & Xhaka!! First we’re scared, then it’s hot… oh just grow a pair…. or just sod off… done with watching this rubbish, week in week out…
Whatever “our way” is, we’re “improving” it incredibly slowly. These have become just words used each week but mean nothing without the ‘capacity’ to effect the poor showing each week. It’s not happening. When I look at the potential of our players that is very frustrating and even more disappointing.
Pls my co gunners listen to me pay close attention to my words emery is not the kinda technical coach arsenal needed he coached PSG for years with steam full of world class and can’t even afford to play champions league semifinal he is the mistake in our team he got all team formations wrong since the start of the season till today my team don’t lose the midfield once you lost midfield to your opponent you will eventually concede to your opponents gendouzi cannot tackle well and win ball xhaka can lose ball to opponents anytime ozil is not… Read more »
Is our coach declining in confidence lately?
Serious question.
I have been getting these vibes since the start of the season, regardless of our games’ results; like Emery is losing confidence
I’m loosing confidence in him. There are times when he reminds me of a Spanish Alan Partridge.
Could be the contract situation, it’s gotta have an effect as he must know that a 3rd year in charge is disappearing fast.
A very lousy defence. Dont be surprised Emery has his contract not renewed end of the season.Th edefence has been a problem and will be a problem for a very long time if Emery doesn’t pay attention to it.It started when Keown and company retired. I don’t know why Emery persists in playing from the back in dangerous situation. The attack is like Wenger : needs time and space. Teams know his style and will have player lurking and loitering at the goal.Thanks for Abu.I am afraid he could do a RVP having seen all his goals cancelled by a… Read more »
Yet another penalty conceded by Luiz. I feel he needs to be benched otherwise
he will think he is an automatic choice. I feel Lampard has been vindicated in his decision to let him go.
Seriously if the defence continues to give away cheap goals,Emery will have to pay for it.No ifs and buts.
I doubt Arsenal will have another manager that can last 3 years or more if they cant compete.
EMERY Don’t know is job at all
Wrong decision. We have Cebellos bc he adds some control in midfield. Several times, he kept his cool and worked the ball out for us. Good steal for the first goal and tracking back once to shield the ball out from a dangerous situation deep in our box. I don’t think Cebellos alone would have made much difference (we needed a switch of shape) BUT felt neither sub in Willock or Torreria helped us regain control of the game. 30 shots against is damming and somethign was going to give. Our fragile Cbacks again making silly errors without Mustafi. Cebellos… Read more »
in hindsight nelson was shit too.
we should be giving Martinelli a chance because if auba gets injured before october we have no other strikers match fit
I don’t know, or can’t see, what we’re trying to do out there. That’s worrying, surely.
Anyone know what we are? I don’t see a plan.
It might help if you pull your head out of your arse.
Hot coming from Spain he wouldn’t be used of that right
When we were 2 goals up, we decided to sit back. Now this was a typical game under AW. I am starting to think that Emery does not know what he is doing or that it is not Emery pulling the strings. Same old same old. I did predict a loss for us and it nearly happen.
EmeryOUT!
will Emery take Ceballos off in winter matches because it’s very cold?
The pass from behind now become a nightmare. How many more mistake from behind before we can learn.
Honestly I do not think Emery is the messiah we need. Arsenal team so boring to watch in recent months, not that results are positive. I don’t think Emery knows what he is doing. It is so sad!
I was very optimistic in the summer but seen about our business, but after 5 games watching how we play, I have a very little Faith that he will succeed, it’s not just about results allowing that many chances against the might Watford considering we had a superior squad is just not right. Remember the times we used to dominate the games, create too many chances only for Giroud to miss them all, the opposition score late in a game then we curse all the way home.! Now no More because now you can feel we are losing 20 minutes… Read more »
I am beginning to believe that managers try to help other managers out. A struggling Watford needed help today. So Spaniards help each other out. Could it be possible that Unai helped Kiki out on his return. Or is it possible, like I mostly tend to believe that Unai does not know what he is doing.
MY BALLS WAS HOT
I’ve never seen a manager take off 3 midfielders like that before.
How can you expect a team to have any sort of stability when you rip out the spine like that?
That sounds like something out of Mortal Kombat.
It was Sub-Zero’s Fatality in Mortal Kombat 1. Nintendo censored it on SNES, though.
The gunners were easily brushed aside in a one on one. We need some tough guys like Veira. The fm bought technical players but size wise were not physically strong. The epl is a very physical league. That’s why its not technical skill but raw power as well. That’s why Liverpool combined power and skills to overpower Barcelona . Hopefully Emery and any future boss will get some giants for defence and md.Thats why Watford played a physical game. The gunners always have a problem when sides become physical . If not I don’t see how Emery can continue when… Read more »
OH my, it’s Arsene Wenger disguised as Unai Emery ?
I feel disappointed that the young kids that came on in Willock and Nelson did not demonstrate the commitment i would have expected, not just as young fresh legs but also as players wishing to command a position in the first team. We watched Auba and Pepe tirelessly track back to defend or pick up the ball the whole match but this could not be said of the youngsters who when losing the ball seemed saunter back. If the seniors of the team cannot instil in the youth, by example, what should already be inherent i worry about their cultural… Read more »
Unai is the new moyes
I think I’ve started to miss Arsene Wenger again.