Emery is prioritising the Europa League over the PL. That is just about understandable given they coold actually win the EL. However, we had a relatively easy game against Napoli. Once Lacazette scored, the tie was over so it really shouldn't have warranted having to field a weakened team against Palace.

Also, I don't but the hard luck/injury line at all. There's some revisionism here. Mustafi was definitely first choice centre back at the start of the season. Holding was a reserve and Koscielny was out long term with a question mark over his future. Bellerin's injury was a blow but that happens to every team and we supposedly bought Lichsteiner as defensive cover. There's no excuses. We had a great opportunity with Man U completely tanking this season. I hope we can take it, but I suspect we won't.

Ok a few points on this. The hate thing I agree, I hate Mustafis performances but not him.

On the culprit comment im not totally in agreement. To explain why is I think you can slightly blame him for playing 5 at the back to counter all the crap defenders Wenger signed but not for his rotation.

He can’t break his better players by playing them too much otherwise we will be screwed.

Our approach for many years was to only recruit players when we were desperate or trying to placate a scout or staff member

Look at the players who played yesterday who people are hating on and shaming....

Jenkinson - purely signed off the back of us recruiting an academy coach from charlton. (hodd probably knows more about this) Was never good enough. Great person, good attitude but should be playing championship or lower

El Nenny- purely signed because jack had yet another injury and we needed numbers. Your better off playing youth players

Mustafi- signed because we had no option remember how desperate we were and had no other options. Pure desperation on our part and we probably paid 35% more than he’s worth because of our desperation. I think he’s got the worst decision making of any defender I’ve seen at arsenal including those who had far less technical ability than him like senderos and Djourou.

My point is for a long time under Arsene we only signed new players when we were screwed. That’s not how you conduct good business and get good talent.

Emery is getting pelters for playing this lot but he didn’t sign them. If a violinist is being asked to play a harmonica it might not be a positive musical experience

According to this we've got the joint worst record in the league for making mistakes that lead directly to goals.

https://readarsenal.com/2019/04/22/whic ... er-league/

No surprise there then.

Emery's team selection was not great but he can't legislate for the kind of comedy defending we saw on show yesterday. Our players are experienced professionals, and in most cases internationals, yet they are making incomprehensible errors both individually and collectively.

Mustafi might as well have stood in the centre circle and pulled his pants down because that is what happened to him over the course of the game.

He was not alone either.

Indeed. And I could understand playing a weakened team yesterday if we had actually were playing in Europe in midweek. I just don't understand the midfield selections.

Once a gooner
Monaco star Cesc enjoys swipe at Spurs - via Roberts

https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles ... ts-4277632

Is this close enough?

Yup - Napoli away, no Mustafi, calm and collected clean sheet. Mustafi returns, 3 goals conceded - no great help from Jenks, Elneny, Guendouzi...

Same old issue. Our best 11 playing well is pretty good. But there are a number in our squad who simply aren't up to this level.

VAR, if applied correctly will be of benefit to Arsenal and less so to Spurs, Utd & Liverpool. We've had a lot of penalties not given to us over the last few seasons....whereas Spurs & liverpool have done very nicely in the last 2-3 years.

This isn't Rosicky, Diaby and an aging Arteta though. Holding & Bellerin have barely had an injury of any note before, and weren't being overplayed unlike under wenger. Welbeck and Ramsey are the only consistently injury prone players we have left and both are leaving. Of course, chumps like Mustafi and Elneny only ever get minor knocks...

Just seen their 2nd goal. My god that’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. It tops the city final blooper.

Also just the way Leno scrambled to get it and mustafi blamed him afterwards.

Not so sure about Chelsea getting that amount of points after tonight. Teams 3-6 are woefully inconsistent at the mo

Chelsea 2-2 Burnley full time

Big bonus for Chelsea to drop 2 points at home. Wasn’t expecting that.

Chelsea’s remaining fixtures
Man U away
Watford home
Leicester away

If we pick up at least a point at wolves we’re level with Chelsea with easier fixtures

We need united to take 3 points off them. If we had won yesterday we would be absolutely laughing.

On the other hand Arsene did sign Holding and Bellerin, who we are apparently missing greatly...

The football gods keep throwing us gifts, Tottenham losing to City, Man Utd losing, Chelsea drawing at home and we spit in the football gods eyes.

I very much doubt it. Doesn't Monreal's contract end this summer? If so I suspect he'll move on. I think Koscielny's contract ends in the summer of 2020. So I think he'll stay but next season will be his last at Arsenal.

Here's my guess of what will happen with the defence for next season. Mustafi will be sold this summer. A new central defender will be signed from somewhere, probably a player in his early twenties who shows big promise which will push the price up without being a Van Dijk type cost. The other possibility is someone like Boateng. In his day great but the rumours I'm getting is he's had a poor season and Bayern are willing to let go. But the younger player is, I reckon, more likely.

Whether we play four or five at the back (with two or three central defenders), I suspect the new player will be the obvious first choice. Alongside him will be either Sokratis or Holding in a back four or both with a back five. Koscielny and I hope Medley will be used to cover injuries, suspensions, and resting players. I see Mavropanos going on loan somewhere.

If Monreal goes we're left with Kolasinac who's decent going forward but can't defend to save his life. So I expect a new left back to arrive. With Bellerin and Maitland-Niles (I'm sure Lichtsteiner will go) that should hopefully be enough at right back. Maybe Jenkinson will be kept for dire emergencies or will be sold. I think it could come down to when his contract ends, which I don't know.

Seems there is a petition to name the stadium after Wenger. I fully support the re-naming of the stadium. I am not sure if its possible contractually from Emirates but if its so I would agree but I would call it the Chapman-Wenger stadium or Wenger-Chapman stadium. Chapman got us to national (and to some extent international) prominence and can't be overlooked in my humble opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uKeGXZ5cPQ

Easier fixtures - mate if ever a team can turn an easy fixture into a nail biter we can because of arrogance (failure to pay respect to our opponents) or the number of mistakes we make.

The fact we are still in with a chance of fourth means we have improved from last year IMO but our carefree attitude persists. The no personal responsibility that permeates the current generation, has been allowed to develop and grow at the club. Changing that is the first challenge.

Do an exercise we used to do in Oz when we were playing cricket against the great West Indies sides and fast bowlers - who would you want to bat for your life. Look at the current Arsenal team and tell me who you would select to play for you if your life depended upon it. It is difficult to select 11 players. You know the Tony Adams, David Oleary, Dixon, Henry, or even someone like Perry Groves or Giles Grimandi would try their guts out for you. Whose attitude would you prefer Patrick Viera or our current teams.

When managing change, like Emery is trying to do, you cannot change culture of a business in under three years. We have a long way to go.

Is Merson back on the sauce because his judgement is lacking. They are still trying to sift through the rubble after his departure. I would rather it be named the Chapman Mee Graham Stadium but I suspect it will probably change name to .."(insert name of sponsor who offers most money) Stadium".

As for the Wolves game - are they celebrating 60 years since their last title this week. Yeah I don't expect their players to be up for this game - give them something to celebrate for the season - will no doubt not be within their thoughts. Just in case some on here don't recognise it - sarcasm.

... or maybe its just very hard to play two games a week after a long season unless, apparently, you are Liverpool or City. United might even come back into it ...

I disagree. Özil is the only player whose attitude one might question. And there is nothing specifically 'modern' about being something of a maverick.

The problem with El Neny, Jenks, Mavrapanos and Mustafi is that they are just not quite good enough, for whatever reason.

Kos, Sokratis, Monreal, ANM, Torriera, and Xhaka are seriously nuggety characters. Monreal and Kos are getting on, but who can deny that they've been admirable characters and great servants to the club? Its not their fault that we haven't been more successful.

We blew the palace game because Emery gambled and it didn't pay off. The gamble was a bit reckless considering that Palace have been upsetting top six teams all season.

I would go for the Herbert Chapman stadium. Next time we move we can call it the Arsene Wenger stadium. But right now the name is a bit too divisive.

I wouldn't support naming any ground after any former manager. Be it this one, the last one retrospectively, or the next one. Does any club? Old Trafford isn't called the Busby or Ferguson Stadium; Anfield isn't called the Shankley or Paisley Stadium. The Nicholson Stadium isn't, from what I've heard, being considered for the new Tottenham ground.

Gaz is right. It'll be the Emirates until a new sponsor pays us more for naming rights. That's what Tottenham are waiting for too.

Totally agree ridiculous to do otherwise.

New Highbury, or The Arsenal stadium but stadiums will be sponsor forever and always now anyway.

The skodran Mustafi stand or whatever sounds ridiculous.

I think some clubs name stands after club legends. Isn't there a Moore stand at the London Stadium? There was certainly a Brooking stand at Upton Park as the away end was in it. I don't even like that, let alone naming the whole stadium after someone. I even wish they'd left the two bridges leading from Drayton Park to the Emirates as the north and south bridges, rather than the Friar and Fitzman bridges.

Yes, it was an error which could prove very costly. Strange to not play his strongest cards in a London derby at home as the league campaign reaches its climax. Few managers would do that.

I agree. Arsenal Stadium would please me.

Totally disagree. Watch how they started off the game. No chasing down no effort - just drifting. Now watch the Man City players and even the Spurs players. It is not a matter of lack of ability - it is lack of application. Otherwise we would beat Southhampton, CP, and a host of others

Yes, with Čech retiring a decision will need to be made about the reserve keeper. Martinez or someone new. As long as it isn't bloody Ospina coming back, I'll be happy anyway. I was focussing on defenders though. Think there are plenty of clubs who would pay a transfer fee for Mustafi. The Palace game is fresh in our minds, but up to then he hadn't had a bad season. We won't get our money back, but he isn't 'non-sellable'.

Chambers! Are you being serious? My Fulham supporting relatives say he's been worse than useless. Terrible defender who won't even be good enough for Fulham in the Championship.

I think that's a little unfair, Bernard. He's played the majority of the season in midfield as a DM and from what I have seen and read has been one of Fulham's best performers, if not the best performer, over the course of the season.

That said I would expect him to be sold if a decent offer comes in.

How about the Mustafi Big Top, sponsored by Billy Smart.

Roll-up, roll-up.

A great defender - and attacker - RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMnFrVk1rrM

Man U have lost 6 of their last 8, and the two they won 2-1 at home to Watford and West Ham they were second best and very lucky to win. They should be on a run of 8 straight defeats

I was pretty happy when they gave Ole a 3 year deal. He came in and did the obvious things, all out attack, positivity, gave players like pogba freedom....but I always felt he was riding the crest of a wave as the results even in that early period were better than performances suggested.

No doubt another tonne of money will be thrown at the problem in the summer

I don't think it's unfair at all. I mentioned fairly recently that my relatives thought he'd been less bad in midfield. But as a defender they don't consider him 'fit to wear the shirt' (and we're talking of Fulham's shrt). Shocking defender. Blimey, knowing how you go on about our defenders/defending, if Chambers came back you wouldn't have any time to eat or sleep. Y,ou'd be writing posts here twenty four hours a day moaning about our defending.

I agree on the comparison with city and spurs, the attitude to start fast is there in nearly every game. Liverpool as well, incredible intensity.

If emery wants that style he certainly didn’t inherit a group of players who have the natural attributes for it. Off the top of my head, I’d say the following players suit the sort of high tempo, high press,fast paced game employed by city/Liverpool: Leno, Bellerin, Sokratis, torreira, Ramsey, maybe Iwobi and AMN.

But that kind of football and attitude doesn’t guarantee you beat the lesser lights. City have lost to Newcastle, palace and Leicester this season. Maybe their attitude was switched off in those games?

The attitude needs to be better and more consistent. The fast starts in the home games v spurs, Man U, chelsea, Napoli....and the other two European Ko games is how we should approach every game. But there is also a big lack of ability in many of our squad.

Many wanted to see a new man take the same players and see what he can get out of them. Emery has improved some. Those who were poor before and are still poor now will, I suspect, be shown the door this summer

There is no reason why there shouldn’t be clubs willing to buy Mustafi. I mean other clubs manage to buy big, he’s a total flop and still shift him on for a decent fee.
Benteke at Liverpool is one that springs to mind.

Maybe a team that doesn’t play such a high line and rely on defenders to make 1v1 decisions might think Mustafi can do a decent job. His rep is probably a lot stronger abroad as well.

He’s a must sell. Pointless keeping him as 5th CB, the £20m we might get for him can be used better in the squad than having him as a 5th CB

Exactly. The suggestion that nobody would buy him was a strange one. As I said, I can't see us getting back what we paid for him. But that doesn't mean no-one would buy him.

Oh absolutely but he might have to switch continents, word gets about quickly these days !