Arsenal came from a goal down to take a point at Old Trafford, thanks to yet another goal from our one true saviour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gunners went in 1-0 down at half-time after Scott McTominay’s shot flew beyond Bernd Leno, but this was pretty dreadful fare all round. Questions remain about the kind of football Unai Emery wants his team to play, but if it’s boring and joyless football, they carrying out his instructions to the letter.
Read the Man Utd 1-1 Arsenal report and see the goals here
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
Ratings
The ratings are now hidden by default until you vote, but if you just want to view the ratings and the comments, flick the switch at the top above Bernd Leno. Also, give the ratings a few seconds to load.
Nice duck from Granit quacker
So you’re just going to copy paste that comment under every article I guess. You must be very proud of it.
Fucking hell. did you see Sokratis’ pathetic attempt at a ‘block’? that goal is on him
Maybe watch xhaka’s Role in the whole goal. He rushes in on the corner then cashes but it’s behind, hauls down a united player (luckily gets away with it) finally catches the play when the cross goes astray, sokratis and others rush out to close down and xhaka stands there in no man’s land and literally ducks the ball. At least sokratis tried to close down and pushed out. Sums up his game against counter attacks. He was barely OK in this game, but again played his role in not being able to control the midfield (against a poor united… Read more »
*then chases but he falls behind*
granit attempted to direct the header.
not wholley wrong, but risky and wasnt rewarded.
that late in the half he should have just got behind it but still
I may be alone here but I feel for Granit Xhaka. What Emery has done to him is nothing short of disgusting. He has hung him out to dry. Xhaka is not a terrible player, he suits a double pivot and three at the back with mobility and tenacity around him, giving him a platform and cover to play through the lines. Instead he is left all alone in the centre circle with teammates 30 yards away. He can’t help his large frame and slow legs, but he is exposed by the coach’s system time and time again. Either play… Read more »
Could have summed that up with: “he suits the continental game, not the EPL”
Also manages to make Torreira a far worse player than hes is playing him high up and freezes out our 2 potential playmakers in Ozil and Ceballos. His midfield is set up all wrong and he’s failing to get the best out of the talent at his disposal.
Exactly.
Sucking all of the creativity out of the team.
Leaving it up to Auba and two kids on the wings (one of which, Saka, is nearly up to the task to be fair..)
Smack bang average. They nailed it when they said it was 8th v 11th and looked like it. Early promis3 had again given us average at best…..and no midfield
The only good think Emery did today was starting Saka.
Starting Xhaka and moving Torreira further forward totally took away the credit for starting Saka. Willock contributed more in the 10 mins he was on the pitch than Xhaka for the entire game!
We have the players to play them off the park today, simple as that. Man for man we should have walked it. We let them get away with it yet again, 13 years and counting. Embarrassing.
Emery has 2 points from 2 league games at Old Trafford, and 5/9 points against United in the league, it’s a decent record.
I think your giving some of our players more credit than they deserve, and I can understand Emery’s reluctance to throw too many kids at once.
We’re ticking along nicely, tonight was a good result.
Rich, you are absolutely deluded if you think the abject performances we’ve been subjected to recently is ‘ticking along nicely’.
We are a much better team than United at this point. But Emery still plays as if we were Sevilla going into the Nou Camp.
Agreed Saka was Emery’s bright spark dulled by Emery’s desire not to play Ceballos or even bring Ozil. Result is the Torreira is pushed up into a role that not the best fit for him. I don’t think you can compare Xhaka, who is forced back into a DM role that doesn’t suit him, to Willock’s contribution. The problem with this team, and sadly every performance this year in the premier league, is the manager. The better shot, the better.
“A role that’s not the best fit for him.” A bit of an understatement. As Lee Dixon has pointed out, remember how terrific Torreira was for Uruguay in the World Cup. He would be even more important in that role for us, where he would be protecting Sokratis instead of Godin.
That’s it: Willock for Xhaka. Please Emery just pull the fucking trigger!
Emery: “Feedback noted, making Xhaka captain” 🙂
If he played Torreira behind or next to Xhaka, they’d likely both perform much better. Seems he wants to adopt Chelsea’s system when they deployed Kante ahead of Jorginho, but that didn’t work either…
1/10 Unai Emery – For shitting himself and going to the worst manure team for decades with a gameplan that seemed to solely consist of; play for the draw from the start, go behind, rely on Auba to dig us out the shit. Then sit on the draw like it’s the Champions League final and we are a man down against The Brazil 70 world cup team! Pathetic.
Well put
How anyone downvotes that is beyond me.
So many up votes for total toxic knee jerk rubbish
I agree with what you’re saying, but it’s not completely unreasonable to be cautious at Old Trafford, even though Man Utd are off form. Chelsea got thrashed there this season.
0 for Emery yet again. Complete lack of ambition, ugly ugly football. Set up for a draw against a team that’s won 4 times in 15 games. Played Xhaka for 90 minutes over Torreira and Willock. How could Ozil possibly have made the team fluency worse?
Forgot to mention outshot by 10 once again by a putrid Man U side. Waste of time watching
Outshot by 10?! We can’t ride our luck like this for a whole season. Just like last season the goals will dry up and we’ll fall short.
outshot by 6, my mistake. stats weren’t up to date
I agree with all the criticisms, but most of United’s shots were harmless attempts. Still too many dangerous ones, but (in the short intervals when football was actually being played) we were the better side. They are awful. We should have thrashed them.
With Ozil not even included and Emery yet to produce a good performance in his entire time here other than Forest last week and Spurs last season, I take Ozil’s side
To be fair that’s more good performances that Ozil in 2 years, I can only remember him really playing to his potential vs Leicester last season…
Whens he been played as a 10?
Hes an excellent 10. Maybe try him there for once
This guy is mourinho without the success.
Mourinho without the success, without the ability to organise a defence, and without the ability to at least get talented attackers playing well on the counter when parking the bus. FFS.
A parked bus would have blocked that shot. A parked bus wouldn’t allow so many shots attempts on it’s goal. Emery packs a bicycle, grinds his teeth, rubs his chin and hopes for the best.
I hate to see people lose their jobs (by people I don’t include Mourinho ) but I hate what I am seeing as well.
Emery out.
A parked bus would have rushed out to close down after that wayward cross and ball back into the middle…watch what Xhaka did…stood there guarding no body (after he rushed needlessly at the ball after the corner, was too slow to stay with united players so pulled one down from behind – should have been a yellow, then he is finally back after the wayward cross and he just stands on the 6-yard box…). Sad thing is Emery will probably be defending Xhaka’s effort on that play and the whole game to justify his decisions.
I am no Xhaka supporter but he is not playing in the correct system. Problem is Emery who doesn’t want to follow a certain style of play making it impossible for the players to form partnerships on the field. We see passes going astray because players are not sure where his team mate is going to make a run. This is because we have someone in-charge who has always played a reactive game. For a small team with limited budget and expectations it works perfectly fine. For a team whose supporters have been spoilt with quality football a reasonable success… Read more »
The treatment of Ozil is proof that emery is simply not a good manager. He is wasting the club’s money by failing to find a role and get the best out of Mesut. To add insult to injury, leaving out our most talented player is coupled with playing the most boring brand of football in the league.
i think thats a decision above his pay grade. We are moving to an asset light / resaleable asset model. Auba + Laca + Ozil were bought / rehired for the transition as insurance, and now they will offload 1-2 of them, and replace them with younger resaleable stars like Pepe ( 24 yrs)
This narrative of Ozil being the victim of Emery’s incompetence is absolutely ridiculous. Ozil is a fkn wastrel who has single handedly fkd our club for the last 4 seasons with his disappearing act and general couldn’t give a toss attitude to playing for the club.He should be punted immediately but of course who in their right mind is going to pay his 350k/wk…no one.
Spanish Ceballos costs Özil’s wage for one year while we know he us here to train for Real and Spain. Has he brought something yesterday or before? No.
I’m not sure that’s true Alex – Ceballos might have cost the club a similar amount to Ozil pa (I don’t have the details of both of their wages to hand, nor an understanding of how the club amortise Ozil’s transfer fee so I will take your word for this), but I would strongly suggest that Ceballos has more to offer this team than Ozil. Ceballos was outstanding against Tottenham, a game I cannot imagine Ozil having any impact upon. In fact I cannot imagine Ozil having an impact on any game. All Ozil has to do to change this… Read more »
He has had some fine games for Arsenal quite a number of times. I can remember how he put Manchester United to the sword some couple of seasons back with a goal and two assists for Sanchez and Walcott in a 3-0 win among others but I like how you twist the narrative to suit Ceballos who has had only 1 good game for us against Burnley over Ozil who produced his first assist of many more to come in about 11 minutes in his first game for us. Like many gunners I have watched Ozil in his highest and… Read more »
Torreira and either Xhaka and Goundouzi as a double pivot (with instructions to screen), Ozil ahead of them, and Aubameyang, Pepe, and a fit Lacazette. Would win most matches, home and away, and would never look as fucking useless as we did against Man United.
I would say it would be a bigger waste of money to blindly play someone week in, week out who despite flashes of genuine brilliance has never consistently shown the desire required to knuckle down and grit it out to have a team built round him.
Let’s not forget, the critics were you hounding Ozil long before Emery turned up. Ironically one of the most cited issues was him failing to turn up in the big games such as this…
I’d have started with: Leno. AMN, Chambers, Sokratis/Luiz, Kolasinac. Torreira/Guendouzi, Willock. Pepe, Ceballos/Ozil, Saka. Aubameyang. And I’d have had at least put Bellerin or Tierney on the bench, not necessarily to play (as probably still not ready) but just to put the fear into Ole that we could bring them on as United’s full-backs tired later in what was always going to be an end-to-end game. The classic Arsenal V United contests always had some mind-games going on. It could’ve forced United into playing with more restraint on the break earlier in the match. Probably would’ve brought Martinelli on later… Read more »
Very good points especially the one related to Nelson. He is a massively talented guy who is really short on confidence right now. We are giving him game time in a game where there is more pressure mentally and physically and expect him to do well. He did show couple of good touches and awareness defensively but there was one move when he was running with the ball with 3 ManU players heading his way, a confident Nelson would have tried to get into the penalty area and cut back to Aubameyang but he applied break and passed it back… Read more »
Absolutely, I hope he get’s the chance to play a big role this week in the Europa, with a couple of experienced heads around him (certainly not a full first 11 but a few wouldn’t be bad as not to underestimate Liege). A goal and an assist or two would do him wonders right now. As you mentioned, that point at Old Trafford almost looked like he’s taken a couple of steps backward in his progress recently, understandable given his age, but I think we’d all really like to see him make it at Arsenal. Perhaps he should take a… Read more »
In what game so far this season can you honestly say that Emery set us up in a way where it looks like were going for it?
What game since last March?
The last game against Forest !?
If not mistaken Emery gave Ljungberg full reigns of the team for the Forest game. So Emery still shouldn’t get props for that performance and even if he did orchestrate that win it’s a flash in the pan because it’s Nottingham Forest. They’re lower league opposition.
Where has that Ljungberg speculation came from, that the camera went on him during the game?
Another underwhelming performance from Pepe. I think he needs more minutes Thursday to play himself into some form
His showings are really starting to worry me. Apart from a few cheeky nutmegs, he has no end product and gives the ball away a lot. Still optimistic but he’s looked out of his depth since the promising performance in the Liverpool game.
I won’t judge him ’til we have a midfield that creates and links well. It’s funny how player after player play well with every other team, until they play for us. Common denominator and all that.
Yeah attacking play lacks any degree of cohesion and that’s, I am afraid, is on Unai. I remember since the first game against Man City, the biggest problem wasn’t the defence, the biggest problem is that when we tried to attack players had no idea how to move ball forward. One year later, we are still in the same spot 🙁
Exactly it. There is so little support in attack without Willock, and playing Guendouzi so deep so Xhaka’s incompetence on defense doesn’t get too exposed. And then we play as our more attacking mid a certified international defensive midfielder, and a very good defensive midfielder at that. God we are killing Torreira – I mean I’m sure he loves getting involved in attacks, but watch him for Uruguay and you’ll see all he does is defend and break up attacks and he is phenomenal at it. If we make him the DM, Xhaka is completely and utterly redundant in this… Read more »
Emery has a set definition of a DM: Someone tall and strong (it is plus if he can pass or tackle)
Since our best tackler (Torreira) is short he does not play as DM
Since Xhaka is tall and strong he plays as DM
I don’t think it’s really because of Xhaka’s size that Emery likes him, but because of his passing range, which is far superior to Torreira’s or Guendouzi’s. The current model is Jorginho at Chelsea, though the ultimate version was Xabi Alonso at Liverpool, Madrid, Bayern, and Spain. It would probably work great for us if Xhaka were as good as Xabi Alonso. Or nearly as good. Or half as good.
Just a couple of weeks ago, when I said someone needs to have a chat with Pepe about his confidence, people here started losing it. I think no one’s even ready to imagine that their fancy new toy might not really work. It happens all the time, all big clubs have spent big money on some players and flopped, not SAYING Pepe is a flop, but people really need to consider the possibility. I personally think at this point he’s a 30 millionish player and we overpaid, but we can make something of him, surely.
I think its a mental thing. Hes got stage fright.
When he doesnt have time to think like when he dribbles hes excellent but as soon as its time to shoot or pass and he thinks he scuffs or skies it.
Its very common to happen to players.
Lets hope he overcomes it soon.
Need to support him.
I think it’s a fair to judge his finishing once in good positions and his poor free kicks and corners…
No end product except the assists he’s made and leading the team in chances created.
He still manages to get shots on goal; he had 2 here, 2 or 3 against Liverpool, and several against Spurs as well. He is getting in the right positions but lacks composure.
Having said that, his general play yesterday was pretty shocking though. Didn’t look like he wanted the ball, didn’t try to take players on. I think he is really struggling to come to terms with the physicality of the Premier League.
A run out on Thursday would do him good.
I thought he was increasingly unsure of what he was supposed to do, what runs to make to get the ball, who to pass to–like the rest of the team, including the manager, he just had to hope Aubameyang would do something wonderful.
What’s worse is his body language and commitement. Our best players track back (Auba,Laca) How dare doesn’t he? Even more if he is the one who has lost it.
Auba is shouldering too much responsibility for a one player.
Tell that to your favourite master tactician.
Someone tell Emery it’s half time when he is giving his pre game team talk. This team doesn’t have a first half in it
Except at Watford, when we were in total command 1st half, and then rubbish. It’s no coincidence that Auba hasn’t scored a first half goal this season apart from the brace at Watford.
First half time… with Özil…
Drop Pepe and loan Nelson, no confidence.
Why not throw on Gabriel Martinelli? Kid must be full of confidence.
Yes yes yes. I was thinking just that. Brainless substitution yet again. We need a goal, well reward the guy who bagged two on Tuesday. He’s rapid and knows where the net is. Seeing Nelson get rinsed by james, then put two corners into the first man had me tearing my hair out.
Also Nelson and Pepe look like a breeze would blow them over, we need some strength other than Auba and injured Laca up top!
Except, we didn’t need a goal, ue was happy with a draw
I don’t like Xhaka. I think he should not be playing every game. I think with him in our midfield, it has never really worked. But STILL what Emery is done to him, is absolutely unfair. This captaincy circus after quite bad period has made him a lighting rode to all fan anger and he is probably fully mustafied now. And there is no coming back from being fully mustafied. He is made to look worse than he really is (and I think that for arsenal midfield he is really bad anyway) and every weakness he has is exposed in… Read more »
If Xhaka has become a lightning rod to all fan anger, it is neither his or Emerys fault.
It is kinda Emery’s fault. Xhaka cannot get faster or smarter(unfortunately), so he is gonna look slow and make those mistakes, it is up to manager to rely on other players.
It was the same under Wenger. Xhaka on a pedestal by the managers – he has some power over people. He can do no wrong, despite being so rank average (at best) week in week out. Maybe he is the reincarnation of Rasputin?!
@Dave M
Yes it was the same Xhaka under Wenger and we all agreed that Wenger had no clue defensively so, when Emery signed Torreira we hailed it as a great move. But Emery is playing Torriera in an advanced role instead of helping Xhaka.
The face that Xhaka “needs helping” says everything. Emery is playing Xhaka in Torreira’s position and playing Torreira in Willock’s position. Fix that and we have ourselves a proper midfield that is balanced to support attack and defense, instead of stuck together with tape to “help” the captain of the team get through games without completely f**king up. Right now it’s Guendouzi playing two roles – trying to be a box-to-box guy but having to reign it in a attempt to cover Xhaka’s mistakes (and making his own by being asked to do to much). Torreira – an international DM… Read more »
Oh that Ashley Young bird poop eating video fills my heart with joy. I might go watch it to help cheer me up after another Arsenal performance that makes me wonder why I watch football at all.
We dropped two points because Emery wasn’t brave enough to go for it from the onset. Yet the biggest positive is Saka. What a talent. Gendouzi is already playing like a veteran. But when will Pepe come to the party? I am getting concerned.
Pepe looks like Gervinho on ice. Really disappointing so far.
I said it since he joined and I watched for the first time his obligatory youtube compilation: he’s just a more athletic Gervinho. Great at running, average with ball at his feet. His shots are pathetic, crosses poor, link up play is weak. He can only push the ball forward and outrun the opponent, that’;s the only thing he can do, one trick pony.
I see him sold to Bordeaux in 2 yrs for 20 millions 🙁
Still leads Arsenal with number of chances created….!!!
Felt that Leno made a couple of very good saves, Chambers did extremely well to get his situation under control after a difficult first 10 minutes and Guendouzi battled hard and effectively pretty much throughout. Aubameyang is keeping us alive and Saka showing signs of genuine life as well. This were the positives. The negatives – no real playmaker, no attempt to control midfield, poor substitutions and a gutless approach to the game are all falling on the manager for me. I just can’t shake this feeling that he’s afraid of losing more than excited to go out and win… Read more »
Mourinho does
Chambers was partly culpable for their 1-0. After the danger seemed to be over, he turned off and did not follow Rashford out on the flank, giving the latter time to hit a good pass.
I can’t see any real impact having been made by Emery. I think we have a really good squad now, but he just can’t get them to deliver on their potential. Man Utd should have been worried about getting a good mauling last night, but as soon as we all saw the team it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen. Emery picks a team like he has no belief in them and that is reflected in their performance. Freddy however is starting to look like a man with just the right qualities.
A poor manager can ruin good players. Arsenal should have thought about that before spend £200m+ for Emery. The longer he remains, the more the value of our players will decline, and the more certain players will deteriorate. Torreira is already sick of him I’m sure, and Pepe will be soon too We haven’t spunked £140m this summer for shit like this. When Arsenal spends that sort of money, a return on it is CRITICAL because it’s unheard of from this club Sack Emery. It’s been 16 months, and Lampard and Rodgers have already imprinted a style of play at… Read more »
Emery’s imprinted a style, but it’s the footballing equivalent of socks with sandals.
Clogs
Clogs with sandals
Hey socks with tevas in winter have been a thing in Colorado for decades!
I recalled before we appointed Emery, there was some news about considering Roger’s for the role.
Does anyone still remember the reaction???
It was a huge disapproval with all sorts of noises saying how bad Rogers was and etc.
Guess what, now Rogers seems to found his style and we don’t
Tough love
Rogers wasn’t even bad for Liverpool. It’s his personality people don’t like, though.
I have all confidence in Emery. The criticism here is far too simplistic. We won’t suddenly beat Liverpool if we start with Torreira instead of Xhaka. In the big picture, things are getting better. The defence was very good against Manchester United. The attackers still need more time together. Midfield was quite excellent.
Nice try, Unai.
Emery doesn’t play a large role in most of the transfers… I think the only one that he did was Suarez.
Unai Emery won’t be here next season.
At least, that’s a consolation for now.
I can’t wait another 8 months
A few more games and that’s it. If no improvement after that then I want him gone.
No one expects us to win the PL but we are better than this.
I guarantee he will. Let’s wait a few more weeks before we make such judgments. 4th place isn’t great but with the injured players coming back it could get a lot better. The Emery hating is quite sickening
You say 4th place isn’t great, but I would take 4th at the end of the season, without question.
Yeah I doubt Raul and Edu are gonna risk and change manager midseason, unless things go really badly for us.
I am afraid that if we have to endure Emery for the whole season, the whole lot of extremely good players (such as Auba, Laca, Pepe, Torreira) will not want to be at Arsenal. If Emery remains for the season, comes May next year I expect that number of players will go ‘Koscielny’s Way’.
I think Emery doesn’t like midfielders attacking. He has permanently benched ozil. He removed torriera the moment he started looking dangerous in the final 3rd. Put willock on the wing when he is clearly the only midfielder who can drive through the centre
Did I see xhaka haul down a united player in the build up to their goal?
Yes, you did…
As you also saw him completely switch off once he thought the ball was cleared, as did most of the defenders, instead of being alive to the fact the ball was still there.
Harsh on Sokratis, i think he has gone low for a block, not made his body small, just my opine.
Well done SayUncle. Exactly what happened on the goal. Xhaka was behind the united runner all the way (before that if he was more aware he would have been dropping back to cover when the ball went to the opposite side to where he was to give himself a chance to stop the counter), hauls him down, finally gets into the box then aimlessly wanders around the 6-yard box while all the other defenders rush out to close down. It is WAY harsh on Sokratis, he did everything he could to block (not like he has the time to react… Read more »
Yes, and that’s the worst part. It was Lingard he hauled down. The guy with no goals or assists in 2019. Xhaka needs to be slated for that more than the missed header.
I don’t think Granit had a particularly good game, but singling him out for getting a yellow against an opposing team that got plenty seems weird.
Ceballos maybe did fine but he straight wasted that last free kick and again gave the ball away by passing it across the pitch.
Sokratis almost gave away another penalty for handball, got lucky again.
He’s the captain, he needs to lead by example in a good way for once
That was never a penalty.
Ceballos did nothing – we were much better with Torreira on the pitch.
He gets a yellow EVERY game. He is 2nd in yellows and 2nd in fouls in the EPL this season.
Since coming into the league Xhaka is 1st in yellow cards in the EPL, 4th in fouls, and 1st ALL TIME in EPL (not just in his 2 and a bit years – all time) for midfielders conceding penalties.
Thought Kolasinac was good today, dealt with everything that came his way. Also can we please stop being such a bunch of cry babies, we drew at old trafford. Thats always a not bad result. Lets just look forward and support the team, and stop always having a scapegoat for everything (last year mustafi, this year xhaka). Lets also rate emery when were at the very least half way through the season. The constant whining is irritating.
Would disagree with that. Against this United side, the players they’ve put out, the form they’re in, it’s a poor result. Season after season we say this is the worst United side we’ve seen, and season after season we’ve failed to beat them at OT. When was the last time we’ve won away at a big 6 club? Performances like this won’t help us get back into the CL.
This team couldn’t beat bottom of the league Watford and you thought they would beat United. Your expectations need a reality check my friend. On what basis did you think they had the form or momentum to pull it off..
Exactly. What, over the last 18 months would have had us believe that we should have won at ManU, or any other team we play away from home? I don’t think we play to win at anyone else’s pitch, but that was not a quality performance by any means. Sorry, but the table don’t lie. We are not good at the moment, and we are in the moment!
Last year, Mustafi because Xhaka was in front of him.
This site has become an anti Emery area.
Well done lads for all the negativity.
He’s managed without Hector/ Holding, two very big players and Tierney is yet to come fully back.
Why don’t you give it a break?
I agree the atmosphere here has not been good. Then again, I haven’t had fun watching arsenal play in the PL in so long.
Because he’s supposed t like an attacking team, but sets the midfield more to be and obstacle to the opposition than to create. And it achieves neither. He seems to be a good guy tho’.
*an obstacle
Maybe because there is no style of play, he somehow has made the defence worse and he’s given the armband to a calamity. I was one willing to give him time but he’s just not shown he’s capable. On paper we have the players but in practice we are poor and that’s on the manager for me
You’re wasting your time. The toxicity of our supporters is alarming. 9 matches and 1 defeat and 4th place in the league could be a great deal worse
You actually think you see progress out there? An identity of playing style?
How many wins do we have?
How easily could we be in 6-9 with one more draw or loss instead
If my aunt had balls etc.
If we’re playing games of ifs and buts, We could be 3rd and 3 points off top if we’d beaten Liverpool
If we’d lost all our games we could be bottom.
Don’t really get your point. It’s not all doom and gloom.
Naz It’s response to Martin mentioning only we only have 1 loss. Trying to say we are in 4th right now is special. we aren’t clearly ahead of 5-9. So I guess I’m saying it’s to early to brag about being in 4th at this point. Whole point is we weren’t expected to beat or draw with Liverpool. These are the matches against teams we should be beating right now if we are supposedly playing well. Man united isn’t playing well that’s why they are in 10th. This is a match we should have won against a club who is… Read more »
Yet another bunch of “fan” When Wenger was around and insisted to play and stick to his style, “fan” are calling him past his date, couldnt catch up with time and would rather we win ugly than to play pretty and not win. Now comes Emery and “fan” are calling for his head because he has no style. Ideally we win and play with style, if not we just grab the points and then route back to CL. Expectations are set so unrealistically high, and I couldnt think of why. Its look like Wenger swipe across and won all competitions… Read more »
I don’t expect us to win this season but the team can do better than this and it’s Emery’s job to make it happen. If he can’t then he needs to go. He has a few more weeks to turn this crap round.
If we get third in the league this year would you agree that’s a good season and Emery should be given Another year?
I would. And I think we’ll definitely finish 3rd.
No, I wouldn’t.
A new contract should be based on
whether has he improved the team.
I hope he does. He hasn’t so far.
Unless we see better football I’d
rather he went.
Wenger = attack + possession + free creative football + defensive frailties
Emery = Wenger – attack – possession – free creative football
I honestly don’t know where our next goal is going to come from. I know auba is scoring but as a team there seems to be no plan
he has completely killed Wenger’s offensive flair and bravery while somehow making them worse defensively
Spot on. The signs have been clear for all to see for a while now Emery is dragging us down with his anti football
Something akin to a football vampire? He has sucked the confidence out of us!
To say he’s like Gervinho would be slating Gervais.
Iwobi used to puor his heart on the pitch, his decisions were hit and miss yes, but there are hits, and he played with positive attitude. And did not cost us 80m.
I increasingly feel that our staid, chaotic and cowardly tactics negates the values of player ratings. How can we judge the quality of any player asked to perform in this system?
I would ding Reiss Nelson half a point for not putting his foot through the ball that was laid off to him in the penalty area late in extra time.
I know he’s young and he might not have gotten a goal anyway, but you’ve got to seize these chances and at least get a good shot on goal.
Would be great if our vampire can get a rating too just like the players. I would give home today : 2 because of Saka.
*give him today
Jeez we are so hard to watch. The worst Manchester United I have seen and we still looked pedestrian and clueless.
Thank god for Auba but let’s not kid ourselves he will be looking at finishing his career somewhere else if we don’t pull our finger out.
We are lacking a mature winger. We made a mistake selling Iwobi. Nelson isn’t ready yet and needs another loan spell. Pepe needs more time to adjust.
I don’t think we were that bad; our best defensive performance this season till date. Once the fullbacks return we will get better. No fluidity in the midfield and Pepe was pretty woeful.
You understand if the opposition is crap going forward it’s not that hard to look good defensively. We actually made United look solid out there going forward but it shows they aren’t that good in the final third.
Utd attacked with speed on their the break no question. The midfield are too far apart. No striker hold up play withh no lazcette. Thought this might be of interest. Enjoyed the game . Couldn’t understand why after success in first half with saka, against young then young got yellow card, they did not focus on isolating Young on a one on one’s. As everyone knows he is a fouler. Instead we played both halfs , we played down same touch line as where Emery was stood to get instructions!
But we did not we made it easy for young second , with ball on other wing.
OK, I’ve resisted for now, but…
Emery Out.
The negativity surrounding the club is way OTT.
Guendouzi is the best 20 Yr old midfielder in the league.
Saka looks like a player, and Willock looks like he has every chance to make the grade as well.
This is a new team, and getting Lacazette, Bellerin, Holding, Tierney back, will improve us.
Two home wins before the break will set us up nicely, and overall would have to be considered a decent start.
gandoozi needs two midfielders to nanny him along and cover for him. thats why we play 3 CM these days.
Emery is fraud, he is a moron with limited mind. No imagination no adventurousness. But he must have great agent to scam us and PSG. I think Ozil dared to expose him and is paying price as we all are. Get rid of him tomorrow! #EmeryOut
Don’t you remember he gave Gazidas the amazing presentation. Maybe Gazidas was Totenham in disguise?
It’s supporters like you that are frauds. The constant hate towards Emery is disgusting so early in the season
Emery is a fraud
I can only speak for myself – I don’t hate emery at all. In fact I quite like him, as a person. But…it’s coming back to the point that Blogs has been making for weeks. Which is, what is Emery’s vision for this team? What is his team’s identity. It’s impossible to tell. The team is playing without coherence and seemingly without a clear idea as to how the manager wants them to play. He’s had long enough to allow him to start to shape that identity. ‘Newness’ is no longer an excuse. He can stay, if we are happy… Read more »
I don’t enjoy watching this team and neither do I enjoy the team selections as well as Emery’s managing style — if you can call it that. It’s just hard to understand what he’s trying to do. It just looks like the players are almost trying too hard to carry out his nonsensical instructions — and I don’t believe they don’t understand Emery’s English. How he wants them to play doesn’t make sense to the team. That’s the real problem in my opinion. I am not a huge Özil fan mainly because he defends too soft and does not press… Read more »
Cebellos, very inconsistently, has created the flow and the connection you’re talking about. With that very limited exception, Ozil is the only one who does it. Put energetic, pacey, midfielders behind him (Torreira, Guendouzi, Willock) and we look like a team with a purpose.
Maybe Xhaka can get that long needed “rest” when we are able to play Tierney, Hector, Holding, and Laca with some consistency. Pace is really lacking with Xhaka, and if we are looking to copy Liverpool, we need a midfield that works hard with a defensive mindset first and foremost. Get turnovers and move the ball to the top three as fast as possible.
Predictably drab affair. I can’t believe this is the limit of a team with so much attacking talent. Look at what Rogers is doing at Leicester for fucks sake, surely somebody can come in and get this lot playing football again.
Guendouzi man of the match for me.
The comments have all but killed Arseblog for me
Auba had just one chance today and he took it. Pepe needs to step up. I’m so looking forward to the day Emery sets us up to attack. We’re a team whose strength is attacking yet Emery sets up the team like he has the Invincibles back four… even with that back four, Arsenal attacked!
For me, Xhaka is like strawberry jam. Get him on the right bit of bread and i think it works. Unfortunately, Arsenal is a piece of bread that already has marmite on it. However you try and sell it, it just isn’t going to work.
I think the sooner we move away from him and to a trio of younger players from Guendouzi, Torreira, Ceballos and Willock the better. They are more dynamic and have far more drive going forwards, and don’t give away needless free kicks in dangerous positions.
Some people will say it’s a good point but let’s be honest; at least for me, this is the worst United side I’ve ever seen. To go to Old Trafford with this team on it’s knees and play, not one, not two, but three DMs is frankly a disgrace. I think player for player we should be favourites for top 4, even third place. But under this manager, with this limited ambition, I just don’t know. The way we both played, neither team deserves to be in the CL next season.
These ratings seem to imply that final result was 5-1.
Emery gets abuse. But he started Guendouzi when other managers would of not. Modern management is impossible when we judge them like this
He had no choice but to start guendouzi last season. Everyone else was coming back from the World Cup.
Yes guendouzi doesn’t get the start he does last season if it isn’t a World Cup year. Elneny, lucas, xhaka all came back late. Emery used Ramsey as attacking mid early in the season before benching him.
“Questions remain about the kind of football Unai Emery wants his team to play, but if it’s boring and joyless football, they carrying out his instructions to the letter.”
If thats the case they all should get 10!
On Xhaka and his yellows. Maybe a run of yellows and a forced suspension might be whats needed to try something different in the midfield?
Lord knows Emery won’t drop him by choice.
Maybe a straight red card in the last minute an a 5 match ban.
Man U were shit but unfortunately so we’re we.
Pepe, please start producing something more than these pacey build ups followed by fluffing it in front of goal. For fucks sake!
I know there is an adjustment period often for players coming to the PL from France and other leagues, but boy does Pepe look shellshocked out there. Just not dealing well with the pace and physicality of the league. Saka really continues to impress as does Willock (would like to see him start in the middle, gives us so much range especially on defense and very technically capable, his strengths are all the things Xhaka is weak at). Finally, not really a player rating, but more a comment/question: Why is Ceballos taking that last free kick of the match that… Read more »
I’d be happy if Pepe could just control a ball right now. So many times he loses it or plays a poor pass, and his crossing, jesus. Drop him next weekend, bring him from the bench. Laca can’t get back soon enough.
Both Willock and Ozil will take Gandoozi’s spot, if they are played. Gandoozi cannot play unless he has two other Central Midfielders covering for all the gaps the leaves. So, Willock and Ozil will never get any chances to cement a place. Emery and Gandoozi are lovers.
A 4 for Pepe? Very generous everything that went through him was rubbish
The goal came off a counter following our corner. 3 men back, two go for the ball, miss, and it’s counter attack on. Given up this goal 100s of tines.
No quality up front. Says so much that pepe went out while sakai stayed on.
Can’t see how Auba stays past this season. I guess the dropped points was all ozils fault. If only ozil could play defense like xhaka and the rest of our midfield. Maybe he’d play more.
Pepe did bugger all and their LB was an unproven youngster
Auba’s getting on a bit so hopefully we can keep him as anyone who buys him won’t get resale value.
Would really like to avoid a Van Persie situation.
Boy, Guendouzi isn’t our best player, but he sure has the potential to be doesn’t he?
Really hard on Kolasinac, he did fine. Not spectacular but solid.