24 Sep 2019 03:30:21
I pretty much agree with the overall sentiment that Emery, try as he might, is not the right man for us.
There is a shed load of talent in this team and he's almost, but not quite exploiting it. With the defensive players we have, we should be doing far better. Even donkeys can keep a clean sheet when they are drilled and organized.
All that said, I've seen odds of 33/ 1 of him being sacked.
Personally I can't see Josh and his dad putting up with a poor return after the summer transfer market we've had. It's a bit like letting a one armed man drive a stick shift sports car.
For me Emery does some things well like give the youth a chance, but our defence is painfully overlooked despite needing attention.
I just want us to do well, if Emery can suddenly square it all up, great. If not then it's time for a re-think. But 33/ 1 suggests he's not going anywhere just yet.
24 Sep 2019 08:01:15
People keep blaming the players we have in defence and saying when so and so is back it will be ok but who can honestly argue that the defenders we have are worse than the Leicester defenders who won the league.
That Leicester defence were organised and disciplined plus had Kante in front of them while our defence is totally disorganised untrained and have Xhaka in front of them constantly regardless of his performances.
Only one man's decisions and methods make our defenders look so poor.
24 Sep 2019 08:55:10
G62, when our defence has AMN, Luiz, Kolasinac and Xhaka infont, then obviously yes, the players are worse! You constantly refer to the ease with which Raneiri coached that league winning defence, and never talk about the ones he's failed to coach well, especially Fulham who he helped get relegated! So why couldn't he very simply make Fulham hard to beat if its so easy, and he'd done it a few seasons before? Most teams, outside of Liverpool and Man City recently, make practical sacrifices in game style to keep a strong defensive structure, and might, for example, rely heavily on counter attacks or set pieces to score goals. Whether you want Arsenal to start playing that way or not, the main problem for me right now would be we have players that suit an attacking, ball playing style, and definitely not a tight, disciplined style. Why sacrifice our one strength, to concentrate on a weakness that might end up still broken?
24 Sep 2019 09:11:37
I just don't understand it when statements like 'totally untrained' slip into these discussions. So you actually believe there is zero defensive coaching happening?
24 Sep 2019 09:47:49
Hi Ned if I remember correctly that Leicester side had Simpson Morgan Hugh ( can't remember the LB, sorry )
Do you genuinely not rate
Maitland Niles better than Danny Simpson? Pape Wes Morgan? Luis Robert Hugh?
That Leicester side had Kante Mahrez Vardy but we have Auba Lacca Pepe Ozil Cellabos and of course Xhaka who is Emerys choice of captain and ever present.
How defensive trained do this Arsenal side look to you Ned mate? Stories are rife about how little defensive work we put in on the training field and it shows week in week out with our shots conceded being the worst of any top 6 side since 2012 last season and the worst in the entire league this season.
What top sportsman or works on their strengths and ignores they're weaknesses? None because you simply have to sort out the bits where you are weak if you ever hope to make the most of your strengths, you can't just simply keep do the bits you enjoy but not the bits you don't and be successful at top level.
No body fears coming to the Emirates anymore as every team feel they can get something out of the game and on the road teams love Arsenal visiting because we are a softer touch than most on our travels.
I don't understand why you are happy with all this Ned but I totally respect your right to be happy with whatever you chose to accept as enjoyable mate no matter how much I struggle to understand how or why.
{Ed001's Note - how the Fuchs can you forget the Leicester left-back? There were no Fuchs given by him after all....}
24 Sep 2019 10:39:55
OK, I'll bite one more time. One of AMN, Luiz, or Kolasinac in a well drilled defence looks fine to me, as they aren't terrible players generally, but none of them are disciplined, or defensively strong, so together no, I think they are much worse. Simpson was an experienced right back, and made few mistakes. AMN is a midfielder in training who makes loads of mistakes. Doesn't matter which one is a 'better' player.
Leicester had a system that worked, and they stuck with it an entire season. For some reason nobody took it seriously until they were about to win the league. The same system was a disaster the next year without Kante and better plans to counter it. Sitting deep in defence and screening with 5 midfielders worked great with Huth and Morgan, perfect for them. Played to their strengths and made them into good defenders. My point in argument with you isn't that I think our defending is OK, but that you are making it out as easy to remedy, but offering no actual tactics or sensible points to back that up. I don't care if we play Xhaka, but I don't assume the reason he plays so much is because Emery is a stupid coach, and I know loads more.
How do we make our defence better? How do we do that, and not negatively affect our attack, or starve our strikers? Do we need different players again? Is it as simple as getting better defenders back from injury? Will it take more time and training to get the midfield covering better, or is that a lost cause?
If we keep getting good results till December using this system, will you change your mind again, or is this season pointless already? It's just too easy and rewarding to be a negative supporter, as you always about to be proven right in football. I'm too busy to watch the games, so I follow us by watching highlights and getting opinion on this site to fill in the gaps. It's been doing my head in reading on here the last few weeks, otherwise honestly, I don't care to win any arguments.
24 Sep 2019 11:16:50
Maitland Niles isn't a full back and niether are Kol so? Do you play them as full backs or play them where they are most capable.
Luis gets totally exposed in a flat back 4 with no protection so? Don't play a flat back 4 with Luis in it.
Play 3 at the back with Luis playing sweeper and Maitland Niles and Kol wing backs, play Torreira in the holding role and then when we are attacking let Luis move into the midfieild so Torreira can join the attack and when we are defending revert back to Torreira holding Luis Sweeping?
You asked what I'd do Ned and there you have it, it's called horse's for courses and making the best of what you have rather than sticking to your preferred plan even though that so obviously hasn't and isn't working
Leno
Papa Luis Chambers
Maitland Niles Torreira Ceballos Kol
Ozil
Pepe Auba
Tough on some players being left out but that's what squad strength does for you.
Do I get the job Ned :-)
There is absolutely no need to bite at all Ned mate its simply a conversation, debate, swapping opinions or whatever it's certainly not an argument in my opinion mate, you asked the questions and I've given my own personal opinions, what could be more friendly :-)
24 Sep 2019 10:00:56
Cheers Ed001 mate, it's me age mate :-)
It's not always what or who you've got but much much more importantly how you use them as plenty of sides show us each and every season with players who individually are not as good as our defenders but collectively are far superior, why is that if not that our team is badly organised trained and set up?
{Ed001's Note - very welcome.}
24 Sep 2019 16:48:12
For Fuch's sake Ed001!
{Ed001's Note - language Timothy! Though I have just realised that will probably mean nothing to you that saying.}
24 Sep 2019 19:03:39
Ah Ronnie Barker at his best.
24 Sep 2019 21:53:42
What?
{Ed001's Note - old TV show called Sorry. Ronnie Corbett played a single man in his 40s still living at home with his mother. For some reason I am often reminded of the show when on this site, as someone on here reminds me of Timothy, I just can't think who it could be...…}