Great save from Čech

No clean sheet for Čech again.

Good result though.

Tied with Spurs now.

Any away win in this league is not to be sniffed at. Torreira needs to start games now.
Not sure we are clicking but we’re winning games we need to win.
10 goals, 10 different goalscorers

Excellent result - two away wins on the trot. Didn't see it though - how was the performance?

Reid’s Nelson scores on his debut for hoffenheim

Credit to Xhaka. Well taken free kick and a good pass to Lacazette, which led to the Özil goal.

Not exactly a classic, but I thought we showed some improvement here and there. Overall our best defensive performance this season, although it was disappointing that we couldn't keep a clean sheet. Sokratis in particular had a good game in defense. Xhaka had another good game. Özil got involved much more today. Bellerin is emerging as an attacking threat. Torreira must start.

I think Sokratis is showing himself to be a pretty decent signing so far. Both goals were very good. Xhaka's free kick was superb.

Didn’t quite check my predictive text on his name!
It would be great if Reiss can establish himself in the first team in Germany and can come back to us a much better player.

4 straight home games for us now and a chance to see what teams Emery puts out for the cups.
It’s a shame Kolasinac and AMN are injured because they’d be shoe in for some minutes.
It would be good to see Nketiah and Smith-Rowe in the league cup

I got given a ticket for spurs v Liverpool today, good chance to see both teams live.
Liverpool are the real deal. 2-1 flattered spurs, Liverpool dominated and had a strangle hold on the game. Van Djik is their rock. They also love the clipped balls between full back and centre back for one of their front 3 to run on to. I can see why Liverpool can sometimes struggle against packed defences.

Spurs were awful. Vorm inspires no confidence in the defence. Dier was slow, and Kane looked like a pub player. Something is up with Kane, he looked 2 yards off the pace, wasn’t sharp or alert and barely touched the ball, VVD bossed him all game. It’s more than a post work cup hangover, he was rushed back from injury at the end of last season and has been overplayed.

Oh and the atmosphere was awful, 80,000 and it was so quiet. Up until when spurs got their consolation I can only recall 2/3 whole stadium chants going round.

If Dier and Eellaini make appearances, I find it hard to see how Xhaka wouldn't play games for Tottenham and Manchester United.

Arsenal to win the league!!

This could be Liverpool's year but they have had a few of those 'this year is it'.

City look so friggin' strong. They can lose a starter or two and still win comfortably. Liverpool have a couple players they can't win the league without.

He’s unable to play in either position remember. He’s not a holding midfielder but a box to box type that’s why he’s always screwing up.

Btw I thought he was possibly our best player yesterday although we know he can hit a screamer and find a pass this isn’t his problem

A few thought on yesterday.

Great result. Average first half, much better second half.

Xhaka scored a cracker and contributed to the second so well done him. Much improved second half like the rest of the team.

Sokratis looked very good. I had my doubts when we signed him but he looks quicker than I thought and got us out of troubsle on a few occasions. He seems to be settling in well after a slow start.

Torreira is a real livewire and needs to start now I think.

Özil did a few nice things.

Still not seeing much evidence of this collective high press that Emery was supposed to be bringing to the table. Lacazette seemed the only one who was really in their faces when they had the ball.

Not sure what Emery is asking Guendouzi to do, he seems to be dropping almost into a third CB position when we have the ball. It gives us passing options at the back but it leaves us a bit light in the centre of the park.

.
Another win .. rubbish first half but improved in the second ... be patient ....

Once the team understands what the f*** Emery is on about we will see plenty of improvement .

I've just listened to his after match summation and it's like he is speaking English with a mouth full of ball bearings .

Bit late in proceedings but just watched Serena Williams' antics ... pathetic ...... played the race , sexist , motherhood card ... I would never cheat because I have a daughter ...?????
More painful JK Rowling , Billie Jean King a host of others jump out of the woodwork to defend her .

Andy Roddick says he's done worse .... who cares you d*ckstop .... you had a flaky referee ...someone should have flattened you and McEnroe

At the press conference " Fighting for womens rights " Oh please .... big round of applause .. what is Osaka then a bloke ...?

American crowd booing ... brain dead .

There’s been some pleasant surprises so far

Čech is having a decent season despite the passing stuff

Sokratis does look a decent player I think. Something slightly Keownish about him.

So far I think we are performing as expected in a transitional period. With Welbeck, Monreal and Ramsey all running down their contracts and unlikely to be with us next year I expect this will become more Emerys team next season. I think we are essentially playing for the 3 cups this year

I don't think Fellaini can either, and Dier looks well dodgy to me, even at defensive midfield. The Tottenham fans I know don't think he's half as good as his reputation suggests, either. If I had the choice of having one of Dier, Fellaini or Xhaka at Arsenal, I'd choose Xhaka who I'd agree was arguably our best player.

Torriera seemed to improve things significantly when he came on, though to be fair I felt Guendouzi had a more than decent first half.

Home Europa game next. I’d shuffle the pack and go with something like this.
Leno
Lichtsteiner Sokratis holding Monreal
Torreira Xhaka
Mkhitaryan iwobi Welbeck
Lacazette or Aubameyang

Kolasinac and AMN should get regular minutes in this comp when they’re fit.

I agree with what you say about Ramsey and Welbeck. Maybe some kind of cheaper Sanchez Mkhitaryian swap in January for one or either can be sorted out. But whether it can or they go on Bosmans I'll be surprised if they're still Arsenal players next season.

When does Koscielny's contract end? Because he's 33 and injury prone. Hence I can see Emery being ruthless if it's next summer and not advising him being offered another. Of the three I think Monreal is the most likely to stay.

Matic has regressed badly as well. Decent defensive shield but he's slower than Xhaka and has two concrete feet. James Milner is starting for Liverpool, doubt anyone would take him over Xhaka.

This was the third game in a row where Xhaka was one of our best players. It's clear we need Torreira to start alongside him though, I can only imagine Emery is worried about Torreiras fitness levels with him coming back from the World Cup late. We're noticeably better with him in the side and it allows Xhaka to focus more on our transition game. He's really excellent at that.

Looks like a really good defender to me. The problem is that he's another number two, just like Mustafi and Koscielny (although he's way better than Mustafi and probably Koscielny too at this point). All of them would benefit from having a leader at the back, it's not a coincidence Koscielny had his best seasons playing with Mertesacker. That needs to be our next big transfer target. Just look at how van Dijk has improved Liverpools back four.

Kos has said he will leave in 2020 when his contract expires and will go back to France likely Lorient.

Did anyone see the post-match interview with Özil on MOTD? He said how happy he is at Arsenal, 'especially under the new coach'. Lineker described it as a 'pointed' remark.

To be honest pretty much all our players have said something similar. I thought Cazorlas comments were the most telling when he spoke about Emery calling him




"It’s normal to speak to someone who has been inside for their view. I told him what I thought: the things that he had to change and the things he had to reinforce.

"I can’t say [what they were]. That’s a secret.

“But I was clear, direct: I said that it was an incredible club, that had everything it needed to win, but that there were things that had to change.

“I said it would be hard to change some of them.

"Arsene was there for 23 years and changing 23 years overnight … it needs time.



The players knew Wenger was hopeless

Concerning that Chambers isn’t getting minutes at Fulham. They are leaking goals and he hasnt started any of the last 3 games, playing only 21 minutes total from the bench.
If any young player is going to be deemed good enough to be part of Arsenal’s first team squad they should be starting for promoted teams.

I'm a little surprised at the expectations of Emery given the whole situation. He is in a new club, new country, with a language that is difficult for him. Given 50 million which may as well be 50 quid given the transfer market these days.

I was actually expecting us to possibly being 7th or 8th given the circumstances. He should be given this season to get his footing. The expectations of him and some fans want an 'immediate gratification' in the table. Key players in ongoing contract negotiations. Rival who are spending a king's ransom. Trying to introduce a new system and way of playing. It's a herculean task to pull that all off and especially in the time some fans are giving him which is no time.

Based on what I’ve just watched I reckon that Jack is going to struggle to regain his place at West Ham. Excellent performance all round there.

Agree that Emery should be given time, but these are ridiculously low expectations. There's no excuse for allowing any of the clubs that finished below us last season to jump ahead just because we have a new manager.

He's off with an ankle injury now ...

This getting worse to get better concept is weird. Makes no sense in a football context. Also, I don't know why American keeps going on about people not giving Emery time. Nobody has been in any way unreasonable in their assessments on this forum. We haven't put in a good performance yet but everyone is prepared to give it time.

You have to remember that American doesn't actually read large chunks of the forum Dec. What you say is my experience too, I've seen virtually no impatience with Emery anywhere, no unreasonable expectations either.

The Özil interview was shown on MOTD2 as well. I saw the Cazorla interview when it came out. Notice he said he couldn't say what the changes were that he told Emery are required. Don't suppose it had anything to do with needing a new tea lady though. Wonder what Wenger felt about the Cazorla interview?

Interesting that you want Sokratis holding Monreal during the game. Can't Monreal hold himself?
Ok, stupid corny joke.

Agree we should let Leno & Lichtsteiner flex their muscles. I would let one or two young players get in too. Rest Lacazette. Let Aubameyang play, just to get his confidence back. He is not playing well at well.

Interesting that you want Sokratis holding Monreal during the game. Can't Monreal hold himself?
Ok, stupid corny joke.

Agree we should let Leno & Lichtsteiner flex their muscles. I would let one or two young players get in too. Rest Lacazette. Let Aubameyang play, just to get his confidence back. He is not playing well at well.

Stating the obvious

It was getting so so stale prior to the change

AG, this is for your benefit, since you cannot read from those whom you have blocked. This will add to your perspective of what most at the forum are actually thinking right now. Perhaps because you blocked so many of them, you do not get the full perspective for the sentiments of forum members.

While you are in the US, can you ask Trump to shout his gap. Each time he opens his mouth, my investment portfolio suffers

Is it too early to suggest arsenal, spurs and Man U are fighting it out for 4th place?