Offical match day thread

And Arsenal fans were worried by the idea of getting Allegri because he might be 'too defensive'
At least his sides CAN defend.

Under Emery we dont attack or defend well - and I personally think this squad is actually pretty strong.

We play from the back EVERY time which means the opposition can push up high and press us - there's no danger of a long ball catching them out.
The tactics are ****ing terrible and that's Emery's only job.

 

Yet again, another predictable limp display against a team half decent at defending deep and wearing their hearts of their sleeves.

Our team simply could not match them for physicality or sheer desire.

It is frustrating that our manager makes the same tactical mistakes every game and isn't learning properly. I don't know how he thought that XI was going to win this game. And I don't know why he took so long to make changes. Then again, the changes he did make weren't totally correct.

This squad is far better than what we've shown so far.

We are going nowhere under this clown.

Get him the **** out.

 

So we need to unlock a defence and find a goal, but the best we have at doing this Ozil isn’t even in the squad. Instead we just throw more attackers and hope one of them scores.

Emery hasn’t a clue and needs to go ASAP, why should he go well:
a) he thinks the hapless and clueless Xhaka is the best player to be captain, when all the fans think he is ****.
b) he doesn’t play our best players - where is Bellerin, Holding, Tierney, Torierra, Ozil
c) he wants us to ply out the back when we are **** at it
d) he paid £72m for Pepe who looks truly awful

 

his 'play out from the back' just looks so unnatural. We look nothing like City when doing it. It just looks so forced and unnecessary.

I dont think Emery has brought anything to this team over the last 15 months.

 

The only thing he's fixed since becoming Arsenal manager is his teeth.

 

Seriously concerned about Leno's distribution. So many times it puts us under pressure and we lose the ball. If that's Emery telling him to do that then ****ing stop it, it ain't working. Have to say Martinez' distribution looks loads better, but I think Leno is the better Keeper.

 

This has to be Emery's last season. I saw the team sheet last night and said to myself, this fella has no balls! Why is Tierney on the bench when he was rested from international duty and has played a lot of 1st team minutes. Kolasinac was away on duty and is not as good as Tierney. WTF is the reason behind starting him. Holding has been ready for how long now? I have given up on Emery at this point.

 

Nicolas Pepe, take a bow son.

Finally showing some of his value.

fantastic free kicks.

 

I don't watch an awful amount of your games (bad for the eyes), but what I find odd about Emery's approach to games is that it so often leads to you having a poor first half, struggling to get a foothold into proceedings until he introduces subs - most of whom should probably have been starting in the first place. I recall a number of times last season where you looked out of it but then emerged in the second half a different team. And that appears to have carried on this season too - last night, recovering from 0-2 down against us, that 3-2 win against Villa the other week etc. I admire your willpower to dig deep and don't think that would have happened in the latter Wenger years, but it does beg the question why Emery's pre-game management and selection decisions are so baffling when his in-game management actually looks quite solid.

 

I can see where he's trying to give different players game time, but he really needs to settle on his best 11 and that should be our best 11. When everybody is fit and has match time under their belts. Then our starting XI should look like this

.........................Leno.......................
Bellerin......Holding....Luiz.......Tierney
Guendouzi......Torreira.......Ceballos
Pepe...........Lacazette.......Aubameyang

 

We're an absolute shambles from top to bottom. Emery has somehow managed to make us worse than we were under Wenger. We can't attack and we can't defend. Can't keep relying on moments of brillliance I'm afraid.

 

On the plus side Pepe looked class last night. Hopefully this will boost his confidence and we will start to see more of the player that terrorised France last year.

Guendouzi ran the show again . He may only be 20 but he's one of the only clear 'leaders' we have in the squad. Give him the armband.

 

Not the worst XI in the world but Bellerin, Holding and Torreira still need to be in there. Well not necessarily Torreira...just any ****er who isn't the abomination that is Xhaka.

And yes Tierney. Tear some Scottish **** up.

 

Hopefully Tierney cements his place today.

Missed the first two goals..

That pass by Guendouzi though.

 

Xhaka winds me up. He just lets players run straight by him.

2-1 and this is turning into a tough game.

 

I would love to see Emery swap Lacazette and Auba.

Auba is just the better player in all regards - I would rather he was in the middle and I dont see why Laca cant play on the left.

 

Yet again, we go 2-0 up, look totally in control, Palace on the back foot. Then one long pass, a terrible challenge by Chambers and a penalty to Palace (shocker) means we crawl back into our shell, thus dropping deeper to defend until the half is over.

I don't understand why we retreat so much, especially as we are still in the lead. We should have extended it further.

So frustrating how we respond when conceding at times.

 

****s sake 2-2.

Chambers should not be starting ahead of Bellerin this is just dumb. Also its infuriating watching Xhaka not tackle the opposition

 

Kolasinac and Saka are Emery's idea of a response?!

Meanshile Ozil a WORLD CUP/CHAMPIONS LEAGUE winner cant get in the squad.
Bellerin cant get a start.
We all know Holding should be starting... probably Torreira as well.

WTF is this guy smoking?! we are totally reliant on a moment of magic from Auba/Laca/Pepe because tactically we are all over the shop.

 

Looks like Xhaka finally realises almost all the fans think he's **** (apart from Toledo).