Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says it’s “interesting” having Freddie Ljungberg in charge and says the interim head coach has the full support of the first team squad.
The Swede, handed the responsibility on Friday after the club decided to part ways with Unai, took charge of his first game on Sunday, overseeing the 2-2 draw with Norwich in which Aubameyang netted twice.
While the new man in charge hasn’t had long to assert his ideas, our club captain believes that Freddie’s pedigree as a player speaks for itself.
“Everybody is respectful of Freddie,” Aubameyang told Arsenal.com. “He played for Arsenal, he knows as a player how we feel. It’s interesting to have him.
“We had only one session with him, maybe two for those guys who didn’t play on Thursday. We will see this week what is going to happen. For me personally I think it’s good for us. He played for Arsenal and he has this in his heart.
“He can give us something special. He was part of the Invincibles – his career speaks for itself. We will try to follow him and give the best for him.”
It remains unclear how long Freddie, who was assisted by Academy Manager Per Mertesacker at Carrow Road, will be asked to oversee the first team. He’s only been working with the group for three months since stepping up from his role with the under-23s and is very much learning on the job.
The Gunners are said to be casting a wide net in their search for Emery’s long-term replacement with the bookies shortening their odds on names young and old, experienced and fresh on the scene.
One man who won’t be moving to the Emirates is Brendan Rodgers. The Leicester manager made interested parties aware of a release clause in his contract but has since made clear he’s very happy at the King Power. The former-Liverpool coach only returned to the Premier League eight and half months ago.
“I have a contract here until 2022 and thus far – and I know managers are losing their jobs – but the club have not indicated to me that they are going to sack me,” Rodgers told Sky Sports.
“I think they’re pretty happy with how we are working and like I said, I’m very happy, and I have no reason to look elsewhere.
“I think logic would tell you – I know in your job it’s not always logical, there’s gossip and speculation – but why would I want to leave Leicester City, at this moment in time.”
He is flirting. That’s cute, Brenda. The games have begun. I just hope we get this done before the year is out
He does have the best Twitter account: https://twitter.com/DeludedBrendan/status/1200820013701193728?s=20
plus loads of other regular posts.
The logic is that LCFC looks more likely to qualify for Champions League than AFC.
Leicester City don’t have Mustafi for a start…..
Mustafi cannot continue to be in the team. Period.
He is in the team because of BFG! Get used to seeing play
The Charma – Happy Fucking Christmas to you as well.
The longer Mustafi is in the team, the more dangerous our league position will become. I’m astounded that so many people still continue to place their faith in this past-it oaf. He is football’s answer to Frank Spencer. If he keeps his place in the team, our Christmas programme will be the stuff of nightmares and we’ll be bottom half of the table and contenders for the relegation battle come January.
“Betty….”
I still don’t want Rodgers at Arsenal!
Me neither, he’s so weird and off-putting.
Me neither. Not an Arsenal man; never was, never will be.
Can this be the last we hear from rodgers, please. Leicester are far better run from top to bottom. He wasn’t the answer before and he’s not the answer now.
Depends on the question.
If the question were something like; “Who’s that cunt who looks like a Vogon and runs Leicester?”….
I don’t want this smarmy git anywhere near our club! Give it a rest
He said exactly the same type of things before leaving Watford for Reading.
He also walked out of Celtic as they were heading towards to treble.
When david brent and the chubby spuds reject are leading candidates you know your club is in dire straits. Money for nothing and the dicks for free.
I think the chubby spuds reject would make a good manager for us but I’m 100% with you on Rodgers.
Not over keen on Rodgers.
That said I know it was Freddie’s first match, but I’m still bewildered on that back four selection.
I thought that Holding, Bellerin and Tierney were all injured which didn’t leave much choice unless we start playing academy centre backs.
I’d say the omission of Torreira was the most egregious. Few defenders in the world could cope with the lack of protection they receive.
Torreira wasn’t entirely that more effective when he came on.
Except for nearly scoring the winner at one end and blocking an almost certain goal at the other in all of 15 mins on the pitch you mean?
So true… Even though our defenders should have done much better for their first goal. It also didn´t help, that Chambers had an awful game. Torreira is probably our best DM so I would play him anytime.
I just couldn’t get my head around that line up and I still can’t buuuuut that said we’ve got two more games this week so let’s see if it was a case of some rotation/players he had two days in training.
Auba played on the right mostly yesterday. I thought we moved with speed better and tried to involve less touches in transition to find players further forward. Would like to see more wide assets used with Saka (he came on had one or two good moves than fizzled out), and Nelson not to mention Martinelli. Frankly I felt we sold Iwobi prematurely given Pepe had yet to (and still has yet to) find feet, and Saka, Nelson, Martinelli all relatively young. I would have kept the Nigerian another season. BUT currently, we have so much pace out wide in conjunction… Read more »
As can be seen, many people like to bleat about getting this manager and that but reality far different from these keyboard warriors. We are not as attractive a destination as many like to think. Plus they have commitment to clubs many which are in better potential positions than us at the moment. Ditto Ponch and Allegri. Laughable to see Arsenal fans dissecting them when these two less likely to take us given they are top of the heap right now and in line for potentially far bigger jobs with Barca or Bayern should things take a turn on those… Read more »
You are very much the Morpheus of this forum.
But only if, instead of a red pill, Morpheus had a long rambling speech which Neo drifted in and out of.
If it’s a Roman Forum. He’d be the drunkard on the steps.
I miss Rambling Pete.
kind of like emery’s interviews, I haven’t read a full santori post for quite a while.
A good coach/manager relishes a challenge. Bad ones like to join teams that are doing ok. Still, today with the amount of money paid to them, i am getting the impression that they do not care anymore. 18mths – 2 yrs and then sacked is no disgrace when one considers the money earned.
That alone would secure me(and many of us) for the rest of my life.
Anybody that thinks Guardiola (and therefore Arteta) play “in the same style as Emery” displays a very limited understanding of football tactics
Freddy’s the man. 100% behind him. Like many in the past, underestimate him at your peril
I know this was the first game for Freddie and there were definitely some positive signs (Unai would have 100% lost that match) but I would like to see our best team play when everyone is fit. Leno is our best goalkeeper. Bellerin and Tierney are our best full backs. Holding may not be in great form but he passes out from the back well and he’s our brightest defensive asset. Play him. Luiz may be playing badly but he is a far more accomplished player than Sokritis or Mustafi, he has won lots of stuff, and he gives us… Read more »
Leno
Bellerin, holding, chambers, tierney
Ceballos, ozil, torriera, xhaka/guendo
Auba, Pepe
Subs: Laca, Saka, willock, papa, martinez, xhaka/guendo
I don’t see our problem as one of team selection. Even (dare I say it) Mustafi isn’t as bad as our results have been. The problem is the overall sense of cohesion and organization. Obviously certain players do better than others when played together in certain positions but even when Emery did play our best players in their proper positions we still looked shambolic. This is going to take someone who knows how to coach a team through useful drills. George Graham in a wheelchair anyone?
I get where you are coming from, and there is no doubt we have been very poorly coached the last couple of years. That said, if you consistently play our best players in their best positions you allow the young players to get mistakes out of their systems and others to play themselves into form and develop understand with their teammates.
Is George in a wheelchair?
‘Interesting’? That’s damning with faint praise.
Getting strong “I didn’t like her anyway” vibes from this comment section! I’d still take him if he was available, considering what he’s done with Leicester, Celtic, Swansea and to a certain extent Liverpool (though he has improved as a manager since then). Ticks a lot of boxes for us.
He’s not the only manager out there who is doing well. It’s a no from me.
Freddie until we find someone more suitable!
Who are the others that are “more suitable”? By suitable I assume you mean good communicator, attacking minded football, big club and title race experience, solid tactical foundations, doesn’t need loads of cash and likes developing young players!
I meant more suitable as in the manager who eventually replaces Ljungberg.
Some people talk about Rodgers as if he’s the be all and end all and, my bias against him aside, that’s ridiculous. Of course there are lots of managers out there who can do the job of Arsenal manager and no they don’t have the be high end managers with a pedigree. One will be found eventually.
I haven’t talked about him as if he’s the be all and end all, but what he is, I think, is a suitable manager given his track record. I don’t care if sounds like David Brent, I care that his teams play well and that he has ambition. And there aren’t many more suitable managers out there; there are more big clubs looking for managers than there are top managers available. I suppose it’s moot now that he’s ruled himself out until the summer at least, but we can’t rule out managers like him for frankly frivolous reasons either. You… Read more »
Rodgers having ambition doesn’t set him apart from.any other manager. They all have ambition. They wouldn’t be in that job if they didn’t. He’s doing well with Leicester now but let’s see until the end of the season how consistent he is. People forget the piss poor final season he had with Liverpool and how he was sacked in the end. As for Celtic, managing the only team in Scotland counts for nothing. They win everything by default. Unless Freddie does a totally disasterous job I reckon the next manager will arrive after the end of the season. Personally I… Read more »
I haven’t forgotten his final season, but I do think he wouldn’t have been sacked if Klopp wasn’t ready and waiting as a huge upgrade. But wherever he’s gone (Swansea, Liverpool, Celtic, Leicester) he’s got his teams playing and challenging, usually on a budget, and that should be the main consideration. Poch would be great as well, yes he hasn’t won trophies but if we back him financially I’d expect that to change quickly. Ten Hag would be an obvious pick too. But what it boils down to is that we can’t be too picky. Bayern, Barca, Madrid and United… Read more »
I get the feeling people don’t want Rogers because he comes across as a David Brent in interviews, and maybe because of his flaky sense of loyalty. I can’t think of anything else wrong with him. Maybe that’s enough for some, but the important thing for me is his track record as a manager is good. Personality… yeah, a bit strange, but it’s not like he’s a prick on the Mourinho scale. He’s a decent fella, solid manager, and gets his teams playing attractive football. Not my first choice, but I’d be very happy with him. Well, anyway, it’s all… Read more »
Exactly this, people are getting hung up on the wrong things and I suspect it’s because he’s rejected us! Oh well, we move.
I think you’ll find the aversion to Rodgers among Arsenal goes back to his days as Liverpool manager. Probably even before they with some.
This is early days in the tenure of an inexperienced interim manager. We can’t expect miracles. In fact it’s a gamble. But we couldn’t allow Emery to go on either. Realistically the best we should be hoping for is not making things worse than they already are.
Come on Freddie!
COYG!
He said he won’t be leaving “At this time.” That to me doesn’t mean he’s staying put for next season.
He might do at the end of the season though. He’ll be aware that Leicester are a bit trigger happy with their managers too.
Now I probably still await 7 hours of moderation as with every post, I’m sure
Assuming they are not injured I would like to see a back four of Bellerin, Chambers, Holding and Tierney with Torreira in front playing the Dm role for a good few matches. Then if it doesn’t work at least it was tried.
Its time to consider that 2 strikers with auba out wide may not be optimal.. Having laca as an impact sub would allow auba to play through the middle and gives the opportunity of ozil + ceballos feeding pepe and auba
Home game thursday;
If all was fit and available can’t we just try
Leno
Bellerin – Luiz – Holding – Tierney
Torreira
Willock – Guendouzi
Özil
Pepe – Laca – Auba
and see how it works…
That’s 12
The famous 4-4-3. Might want to field just 10 outfield players
Oh sorry! ?
Was supposed to be Willock/Guendouzi
Or well, at this time we might need 1 extra player to actually take 3 points.
Rumour now Moanrinho scouting Luis Campos at LOSC. As I mentioned before, if our owners had any inkling of greater ambition, they would ditch Sanlehi and get Campos. Jose is many things but he isn’t a fool. Campos is one of the most savvy operators in the market first with Monaco then Lille. Also on our shopping list for managers IMO should be Erick Ten Hag. He’d probably be moveable in the summer only but as a long term appointment that builds on the Arsenal ethos, he would be an excellent appointment. Scatter gun approach (panic buys like Luiz or… Read more »
I have the strong feeling that we’re gonna miss top managers like Pochettino/Allegri again like how we missed Jurgen Klopp. KSE is just not ambitous.
Our only hope is Kroenke is selling Arsenal to an Arabian Inc. soon.
I wouldn’t want Pochettino or Allegri, one is a serial loser spud and the other one is a smarmy git. Just because they are “names” doesn’t mean they’re right for Arsenal. Also all this angst about managers is just feeding the media noise, nobody knows who the club are considering and until something more concrete comes out we will be linked to every manager on the planet, it’s all boring clickbait, I’m behind Freddie and hoping he can do well. I’d be surprised if anything happens before the end of the season anyway.
We’re all glad that you’re so ‘happy’ at Leicester City, Brendan. You’re not good enough for Arsenal; you never were. Enjoy your run while you can – because it will end.
Rachel: Why don’t you like him (Rodgers)? He’s smart, he’s qualified. Give me one good reason we shouldn’t hire him?
Ross: Cause it’s weird !!!!
What do Archie Knox, Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren, Jimmy Ryan, Walter Smith, Carlos Queiroz, and Mike Phelan have in common?
Do we really think Arteta will fair any better than the utter dross above?
Could do a lot worse than Brenda!
If Brenda was not interested in coming here he would not have mentioned he has a buy out clause in his contract …