AG

Does the fact Pépé and Tierney both played full games last night mean they won't start on Saturday?

I just find it hard to understand the logic in that if it proves to be the case. Our best LB and our only real dribbler both potentially not starting in a game against very trick opposition where Tierney's LB nous could well be needed and Pépé's pace and his deadball ability might be important in a game where we may be playing on the counter and may not create much in open play. Dead-ball situations may be our best chance of a goal.

It's all ifs and buts I know but I guess one reason is he won't play Özil and Pépé in the same starting eleven.

Wonder if he’d block all season ticket holders from attending games?

Vieira

Good point.

Out of those, it’s a definite no on Mourinho and Benitez for me. That’s exactly the type of appointment I would hate to see, and I don’t understand the notion that we need someone to come in and ’stabilize’ the ship. It’s not like we’re spiralling out of control, we’re 6 points off 4th place with 28 games to go. That’s nothing really. If we appoint a new manager, who isn’t just a caretaker, it should be someone we feel can take the club forward long term.

All those names except Mourinho and Benitez would be fine with me – I wasn’t impressed with Rodgers at Liverpool, he basically lucked out in stumbling over Suarez just as he exploded into a world class player, but he’s done very well since then. I think Howe is worth a look as well.

I like the idea of giving a manager time, but sadly it’s hard to come to any other conclusion than that Emery needs to go as soon as possible now. He’s been here 18 months and I struggle to think of an area where he’s improved the team. Arguably we are worse both offensively and defensively than we were under Wenger’s last few years. The fact that we seem to have gone backwards despite making some really good signings and having a crop of young players of great talent break through speaks volumes. It’s just not working, in any way.

Since he was appointed, I have always been prepared to give Emery 2 full seasons to introduce the necessary new players, new tactics and new attitudes to get us moving in the right direction.

I've changed my mind in the last couple of weeks. Nothing he has done has worked and we seem every bit as chaotic and rudderless as the last - worst - days of Wenger.

Reluctantly, I think we need a change and it makes sense that it should happen as quickly as possible.

Your last paragraph hits the nail on the head Haz. This is where we are at. Emery has to go and I'm not sure why Raul and Edu are waiting until after the inevitable beating at Leicester to wield the axe. He should have gone after the Sheffield Utd match. I'm sure he's a decent guy and probably a very good coach but Emery and Arsenal just doesn't fit. Give it to Freddie for now. He can do no worse, and may even do a lot better.

This is it for me. Everything about Emery right now is reacting to things that are out of his control. He’s changing formations, rotating players, like he’s desperately trying to find some solid ground. Seen it happen to managers a hundred times, but I can’t remember many instances of that manager turning things around.

I thought we had hit rock bottom at the end of AW reign but somehow Emery as taken us deeper. From the initial stage of limbo we have moved through various levels to the point of anger and now I feel rooted in the 8th circle of hell, the guy is just not up to the job.

I was more than happy to give him time and felt once he had a semblance of a defense we would see improvements. Everyone is back fit, and had a fair amount of game time, but still he cannot construct anything that passes for even the most basic of last lines. We've got some decent talent at the Club, he's evidently not the man to utilize it.

So glad it's not Brendan Rogers saying Tim Sherwood is the obvious choice...

The horror...

Edu and Sanlehi need to be the coolest guys in the place right now. Clearly patience and time are going to be needed and those are two things in short supply. As Haz said with BR and Suares there's a lot of luck involved in football - and we could do with some right now. Something needs to stick be it Pépé's form or a defensive miracle. But mostly if they can keep their heads we might have a chance at coming out of this OK, because presumably it could get worse.

If Emery stays much longer Ash it almost certainly will.....

Ahh - Ok.

Thanx for the translation.

Fixed now.

Eddie Howe & Erik ten Hag.

Owen Coyle

Surely the only reason Emery is still manager is because we board haven't quite sorted out the next replacement or are waiting for the international break to make the announcement? Otherwise I cannot see any merit in delaying the change. By pretty much every indicator we are getting worse and there are no signs of improvement. The longer it continues the more the finger of blame will point to the board for failing to act.

So Emery has an opportunity to put a damper on the person the press is saying should/will replace him. The drama...lol.

Emery in. Way too early to talk of changes. It's not his fault he doesn't have the defense we need. And since Wenger we have taken a lot of control from the manager.

Agreed. Especially Tierney.

My guess is the impatience with Emery is Josh. He seems more of a 'sportsman' than his father and has had direct management experience (Denver Nuggets) in trying to get his team to be a winner.
So, while I disagree with sacking Emery now, if it means Josh is trying to win things, then I'll grudgingly agree. I'd rather someone interested in winning and occasionally getting it wrong in the process than a disinterested owner (Stan) who is committed to another team in a different sport (LA Rams).

I’ve seen people say words to the effect that defeat at Leicester is a certainty I think we will probably lose, but football isn’t that predictable. Worse teams than Arsenal have beaten better sides than Leicester many times in one off games. Are Leicester favourites? Yes. But they are not guaranteed to win.

How is it not his fault? Whose fault is it? Nancy Pelosi?

It can be.

The thing about us sacking Emery, as Arseblog pointed out, is that it is nothing personal. Managers come and go and it's not like we would be throwing him out on the street. He and his staff will be paid-off handsomely and he will soon find another job in Spain.

Emery has given it his best shot and it just hasn't worked out. A bit like a bad marriage that's become stale, it's clear it isn't working and it's time for both sides to move on before things become nasty.

Make a change before the chances of top four are really blown.

Except both parties have sworn before God, '...till death do us part...'

I wouldn't cry if Rodgers is brought in. I also am not sure how much veracity we can put in the rumors of Emery being on the outs.

Rodgers-Leicester might win by default Saturday. No telling what will happen with VAR.

So Mustafi did the hand to the ear celebration after scoring againest a bunch of total no marks. If ever there was an example of why we are so adrift.

Rodgers has a job interview Saturday.

...could Man Utd go for Rodgers as well? That's a thought. Poch's stock has gone down.

He is failing in all departments. Lack of attacking nous despite the talented personnel. A midfield that fails to link play. He had 18 months to sort out the defence. The AW excuse is over. Last season he did not have key buys in Pépé, Tierney, and to a lesser extent Ceballos. I do not hold out high hopes that he will gel Saliba effectively into this team. He has failed to gel this season's marquee buy yet. Maybe it is the players who are letting him down. So, be ruthless about it. And come up with a more encouraging team play. Our current play is disjointed and poor. The players cannot find each other on the field. So many times the full backs had to pass back, and then the hand gestures come to tell the forward players they are not in position for their cross. This trait of play existed for too long already. Talk about it, fix it. Emery has to take charge and fix it.

Prediction 3-3.

Arsenal lead 3-0 and fail to protect a lead. Silly penalty given away at 3-0, and the panic sets in. At 3-1, Emery make the wrong substitutions, and the floodgate opens for them. Their equaliser is right smack at added time.

Aubameyang refused to acknowledge Emery's out-stretched hand at the end of the match. Lacazette gives Aubameyang a fist-pump for that. Followed by Tierney, followed by Torreira, followed by Pépé.

Dressing room went quiet when Emery entered. Nobody responds to his questions post-match.

Post-match conference: Emery praise team for superlative first 60 minutes display. Said the wrongly given penalty was unfair, and was what started their fight back. Said their equaliser should not stand, and VAR should have been used. He saw a second ball stray onto the playing field when Leicester was carrying the ball into Arsenal's playing area. He also said the second goal is questionable, because Vardy gave a wicked smile at Leno, thus panicked Leno and distrated him from saving the shot. Journalists give Emery a standing ovation for the best post-conference they ever had.

Post match reports were full of jokes about Emery's defensive conference. Emery blames his poor English for the loss in translation.

Emery takes Captain's armband away from Aubameyang. Said Arsenal's group of 5 Captains (BIG joke ) is now 3. Appoint Lacazette, who declines. Now down to 2.

No, Donald Trump

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/11/07/r ... wing-unha/

Go now Emery! (Not Torreira)

"Arsenal have suffered gradual decline since they moved stadium 13 years ago."

That sentence resonated with me from the last Gooner editorial (https://www.onlinegooner.com/articles/view/4895)

Does it suggest that once we moved to the new stadium, it was viewed as the final piece in jigsaw, and from that day onwards the club simply rested on its laurels, or that we have had bean counters and suits running Arsenal primarily as a business and not a sporting institution?

Why does his goal celebration show why we’re so adrift?

It was described as “transition” when we moved.

That suggested a dip followed by a rise.
Whereas it has just been gradual but persistent decline. The drive to succeed on the field as opposed to the balance sheet appears to have dissipated completely.

Anybody who cared enough to fight has been removed. We appear to operate like a small scale commercial enterprise. I never thought that I’d ever see it like this.

It was a combination of not having enough money to compete initially, Wenger not able to stay consistently good any longer and then being owned by a non interested owner. Those 3 things the most.

All sounds about right.