29 Apr 2019 03:06:40
Clutching at straws:
Man U will beat both HUddersfield and Cardiff to finish on 71 points
Chelsea have 2 difficult matches, home to Watford and away to Leicester and with EL semis inbetween I can see them getting 2 draws or a draw and a win. This leaves them on 70 or 72 points.
Toot have CL semis to contend with and play Bournemouth away and Everton at home. I can envisage a couple of draws or a win and a draw, leaving them on 72 or 74 points.
Despite our poor form we can beat Brighton at home and if by some miracle we beat Burnley away, we can end on 72 points.
Valencia, having lost their last 2 league matches are also not on great form.
What an end to the season!
29 Apr 2019 08:32:20
I can't work out if that is an optimistic note you are striking or not? ;)
29 Apr 2019 08:44:37
Is Sarri right for Chelsea? has he demonstrated the necessary ability this season to show he's capable of fixing their issues?
What about Ole at United? Is he the man for them? Does he have what's needed to fix all thier problems?
What about Dick? Without resorting to wishful thinking fantasy football signings that aren't really likely to happen, will Dick be any more defensively savy next season than he is this?
Without being positively or negatively bias what are the cases for and against each of United Chelsea and Arsenal sticking or twisting with their current manager this summer?
Forget the past or possible future signings, what skills and abilities have each manager demonstrated or failed to demonstrate in their current positrons this season that makes you think that each of
Sarri
Ole
Dick
Should stay or go this summer?
If we can push our personal feelings to one side it could be an enjoyable debate on all 3.
29 Apr 2019 09:14:35
Urban - I think my comment was optimistic! It shows that we still have an outside chance of finishing in the top four.
G62 - The PL is a tough league. Man City have huge resources, the best manager and a large squad of quality players. They have won the League Cup, look in the best position to win the PL and are in the FA Cup Final. They could win all 3 domestic trophies.
Ole - On the one hand with 2 winnable matches to go, he could ensure a top 4 finish and CL football, which looked highly unlikely under Mourinho. On the other hand their recent form, after the honeymoon period, has been poor. Despite a high spend under Mourinho there is lot more to do. Pogba wants out. De Gea is running his deal down and is off form. The defence needs major surgery. Is Ole the man to do this job? I am not sure. I believe United jumped the gun and should have waited until the end of the season before deciding whether to give him the job, I feel they need a more proven, experienced manager, such as Allegri.
Sarri - If they qualify for the CL he has done the minimum required. If he goes who would replace him? With Abramovic exiled, the club looks in need of a change of owner and new direction.
Emery - Has done a decent job at the club in a transition year. He took over a weak squad and has had season ending injuries to 3 players to contend with, as well as the recent injury to Ramsey. It looks like we will finish with more points than last season and yet outside the top four. I believe he knows that the squad needs major surgery, with as many as 10 players departing and the need to sign as many as 6 quality first team players this summer. Unless he can persuade Kronke to open the purse strings I believe he has started a 3 to 5 season process of upgrading the playing squad. The fans are fickle and some are already calling for his head, will he be given the time to build the sqaud as he wishes? I do not believe any other manager would have done any better with the players he has at his disposal.
29 Apr 2019 09:34:18
Robbie just some advice! I have had exactly the same thoughts because I try to be half full in my thoughts! Don’t get suckered in by the Arsenal! We are the knight in Monty Payton’s Holy Grail ‘ it’s barely a scratch ‘ but they have us hoping we are dare I say invincible! It’s a sickness! We’ll all be back on Thursday and Brighton. Top four is better they say as it attracts the better player! What like Pogba Sanchez hazard Ozil ( and I’m a fan of his ) who are paid fortunes but not pulling up any trees . We need to rebuild and I for one am backing Emery to get the right players ( based on Leno sokratis and Lucas ) with holding and hector coming back! There you see I’ve talked us into title challengers! I’m off for a lie down! COYG.
{Ed001's Note - Emery does not sign players! He also can't make the most of having a much better set of players to pick from than Wenger.}
29 Apr 2019 09:58:59
Hi Ed001 - Emery may not sign the players, but of course he has a say in the signings. In respect of the squad, yes it has been improved since Wenger by the signings of Leno, Sokratis, Torreira and Guendouzi. Lichtsteiner and Suarez have not improved the squad. Don't forget that last season Wenger had Sanchez until January, Mertesacker retired, Wilshere left, Ospina left on loan, Chambers left on loan, as did others.
The problem for Emery is that he has been landed with Ozil on an absurd deal, and other players that simply are not good enough: Mustafi, Jenkinson and Elneny. The team still has so little to offer defensively. Yesterday we started with players that cannot put in a defensive shift and can barely tackle: Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Maitland-Niles and Kolasinac. Throw in the two forwards and there is little defensive structure to the team. I am not too hopeful for the forthcoming end of season fixtures.
The following players will or need to go in the summer: Cech, Ospina, Lichtsteiner, Mustafi, Jenkinson, Chambers, Elneny, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Suarez and Welbeck. I am not too keen on Iwobi. There are questions over Monreal and Kolasinac.
The problem is how we fund and integrate the many replacements that are needed. Perhaps we will utilise Martinez as the number 2 keeper. Defensively we need a RB, as Bellerin is unlikely to be fid to start the season. I would like to see us sign a LB, as neither of our current ones are impressive. We need a CB. We need a wide player and a creative midfield player, as well as a forward who can play wide, as cover. It's going to be a busy summer!
{Ed001's Note - give it a rest, Emery had nothing to do with the signings. He wasn't even there when some of the deals were done but still you deluded anti-Wengers are so far up his arse you refuse to accept the truth. You have been sold a pup and are too deluded to accept it because he is not Wenger.
Last season Sanchez was in dispute with the club and you were all moaning about his performances, so hardly a big deal having him. Mertesacker was the worst defender I have ever seen. You are better off without him ducking out of challenges. Wilshere was injured constantly and utter dog turd on those 20 seconds a season he did put in. Ospina was not good enough and a back up anyway so what does he matter? Chambers you all said was crap, now you are claiming he is a missing link? Embarrassing. You are just clutching at straws as usual.
The problem for Emery is that he is not good enough. He can't coach. He can't organise a defence and he can't cope with egos. Still he has those idiot fickle fans who hounded the club's greatest-ever manager out to back him, so he can continue to ensure you finish behind Spurs, despite them going backwards at an amazing rate. You are struggling to even beat a Chelsea that can't adapt to their new manager's style and a Man Utd side that have only turned up for 5 games this whole season!}
29 Apr 2019 10:00:43
3 Very fair answers there RG mate on all 3 managers.
29 Apr 2019 10:59:38
For my part i was very much Arsene out and both sad and relieved when he left.
I try my best to separate my personal feelings for each manager from my footballing opinion and use the same gage and way of assessing both Arsene and Dicks managerial ability only. ( incidentally I like both on a personal note)
There is a saying " The right person in the right place at the right time " and in 1997 Arsene Wenger was most certainly that but unfortunately in 2018 Uni Emery wasn't " The right person in the right place at the right time "
We needed a defence worthy of its name creating organising and motivating into a dependable solid unit and that has been shown beyond doubt not to be where Dicks strengths lay.
You can like the plummer all you want but he isn't going to build you a garden wall to be happy with no matter how nice he is or how much you want him to be able to do it.
29 Apr 2019 11:10:22
I'd just like to add
We weren't just unlucky to find the most undisciplined disorganised poorly set up buch of players out there possible to find, we made and continue to make them look that way.
That's unarguable in my opinion.
29 Apr 2019 15:04:06
I couldn’t have put that better myself ed 001,I’d like to see how everyone would be acting if this was Wenger, I think a few know the answer to that question!
{Ed001's Note - that is exactly the problem as I see it. People are just giving Emery an easy ride because he is not Wenger. Performances are far worse than under Wenger, despite a better team, yet Emery is backed and the players get the blame.}
29 Apr 2019 15:23:48
I just hope for a bit of luck a massive change or the other teams are on the beach who we play. Emery hasn't managed to sort our defending out but the one thing you can say is there are some common themes to work on this summer. He will in my book be more accountable for all aspects after this summer. Whatever happens we need a massive clear out and possibly a new direction. Wether that is going younger and relying on afc improving them or just concentrate on buying good quality defensive type players, something has to change at this club, to change mentality.
29 Apr 2019 15:22:47
Ed001 it’s exactly that and it’s ridiculous how people see us improving this season.
Do you really count those little extra points an improvement, is it really beating man, Chelsea and spurs at home become a real deal which in anyway they are having as much if a bad season as us.
I say look the Burnley defence they are so hard to beat, is it really down to individual players or its the way they are coached and set to play, if they are individually so ridiculously good why none of the top teams came knocking.
If you look at Emery’s football history on the defensive note you will know it’s something he can’t get right.
{Ed001's Note - his teams have always been wide open.}
29 Apr 2019 15:36:29
I totally agree that some are making excuses for Emery failings in exactly the same areas they found endless fault with Arsene, Emery has merely continued where Arsene left off and if it wasn't acceptable under Arsene how can exactly the same mistakes suddenly be excusable on Emery watch?
When you let your personal feelings one way or the other influence your footballing opinions then your not seeing things as they really are but more how you want them to be.
29 Apr 2019 16:14:52
Thank you G62.
Guendouzi was with Emery at PSG, and I am certain he had an input with the other signings. I have no problem discussing opinions with Eds or fans, but I must say I find you over-agreesive and downright rude. Football is about expressing opinions and I will alter my opinion if a sensible well thought out argument is provided. I am intrigued whether you will have the decency to post this response in full and refrain from another rude outburst in red ink. I doubt you will, let's see.
As regards Wenger, yes, I wanted him to leave as the team was on the decline season by season and had failed to finish in a CL position for 2 consecutive seasons. I no longer understood his management of the team and the club. However, I did not agree with hounding him out, nor the idiotic so-called fans who paid for tickets and did not turn up. I would never and have never booed any Arsenal manager or player. I would criticise them on sites such as this, but with all due respect I do not believe Wenger or the players look at sites such as this.
As for Emery he has won 8 trophies and I like his management style. I generally understand his methods and team selections. He has taken on a hell of a job at Arsenal and I like what I see. He has had 3 players out for a large chunk of the season, with an already weak squad, and lost Ramsey for the run in. I hope that Emery has the courage to ensure that Kroenk supplies sufficient funds to make the signings necessary this summer.
29 Apr 2019 16:37:57
I remember Dicks PSG not being able to defend adequately 4 0 semi final lead over Barcelona so maybe that was a huge sign we all ignored when he arrived because of what we wanted him to be rather than what he really was.
Yes he has 3 EL league titles under his belt but that was before the upgrade of a champions league place being introduced because many of the bigger clubs who found themselves in the europa didn't take it seriously.
Hope he can prove us all wrong but the longer it goes on the more visible the failings appear to be.
29 Apr 2019 22:35:24
I remember us trying to maintain dignity by trying to limit a 5 1 defeat against Bayern and going out 10. 2 in the end.