We found ourselves 3rd going into the international break and even though our football and performances were anything to be happy about, there was a general feeling that having played most of the top 6 it was quite a good place to be in and with upcoming fixtures against a string of bottom half teams, we were in good position to kick start things especially with the return of many important players.
Sheffield United was the first in line and after it’s conclusion it was easy to say that the above perception just proved to be hallow and that no matter the results, performances always catch up.
Set-up to stop Sheffield
The whole evening started in usual Emery era manner. The coach continued his seemingly personal vendetta against Ozil by keeping him out for yet another game, picking more “deserved” players like Willock and Ceballos ahead of him and setting up a team that was built to stop Sheffield United from playing rather than dominating them to victory.
Unai choose Willock ahead of Ceballos, maybe he felt the later was too creative for the night and needed a more workhorse player instead but whatever the reasons, he ended the night by adding his name to one of many half time substitutions of Emery era.
Players returning from injury were kept in check with Lacazette, Holding and Tierny finding place on bench. Unai Emery persisted with his back four and a defensive midfield and the results were hardly surprising.
Sheffield got hold of the game early and pushed Arsenal back. It was not hard to see that they were pumped for a Monday Night fixture under lights and could smell blood. On other hand it seemed like Arsenal seemed like a team still on their way to the match. Sheffield bossed midfield and created opportunities that resulted in quite a few corners. They scored from one of the them and from there on, Arsenal hardly ever looked like scoring a equalizer.
Arsenal were terrible in first half and the frustration was obvious when teenager Saka tried desperately to make most out of a contact that he himself initiated. But even then we still could have and should have got 2 goals. Sokratis was clearly pulled in the box and if VAR was truly implemented in the Premier League it would have been overturned. But alas.
Arsenal created only one chance from open play when Kolasinac was found out left on a counter and his near perfect crossback should have been converted by Pepe who with every passing day seems to be a shadow of player we thought we bought.
Pepe did return strongly in second half and looked like the only player capable of scoring for Arsenal before Unai Emery took him off for Martinelli. This proved to be another fruitless decision as the latter failed to spark any light from whatever kindling Pepe had created.
Incapable of creating chances
Second half saw changes to the setup of both teams with Arsenal getting more hold of possession after Cebellos introduction and Sheffield dropping deeper and deeper. But what ever Arsenal did or Unai Emery threw at Sheffield, we seemed incapable of creating a chance to score the equalizer.
Our play was static, lacked imagination and felt like a never ending loop in which our midfield will go wide to the fullback to deliver yet another cross in the box. Can’t Ozil do better than this?
At the end, the only man that was surprised by the outcome was Emery himself. According to him we did not deserved to lose. The fact is that even though Arsenal had 61% possession, we only had 3 shots on target and saw us consistently getting out balled and out thought by a team who hardly has any Premier League experience.
The Sheffield result was on cards. Aubameyang was bound to have a bad day and on night that it happened Unai Emery had no answers and raised questions on his Arsenal period, questions that have been coming but everyone refused to take them seriously. But now we can’t escape. The only thing to see is, will Emery escape them?
Excellent post Omi. The money quote is your observation:
“Our play was static, lacked imagination and felt like a never ending loop in which our midfield will go wide to the fullback to deliver yet another cross in the box. Can’t Ozil do better than this?“
One doubts if Josh and that lot now running Arsenal have any idea of the importance of a skillful, technically superior midfield. The 1st thing they did after getting rid of Wenger was to terminate the relationship with Santi and Jack, renege on a proposed deal with Ramsey and now doing everything to get rid of Ozzie. No wonder our football is horrible.
I guess the idea there was to get rid of Arsene players to make sure that the message gets around clearly, ‘old bunch was the reason for failure and we should build build again completely from bottom to top to bring Arsenal back to glory years’. But as it is proving to be, it has gone downhill as was expected because even in his worst Arsenal under Arsene Wenger had philosophy, style and commitment to playing football the Arsenal way. We have replaced it with nothingness.
Most of us predicted that result straight after the break.
Sure the Gunners might have sneaked a point if the PGMO were not crooks but anyone who thinks the wider Arsenal fanbase are fooled by Emery is only fooling themselves. A lot of people were calling for his head before his first season was out.
How he kept his job over the Summer only Daddy Raul knows.
With Raul not able to discredit himself before his gullible or willing employer this is going to be one painful season. we all knew this unimaginative liar Emery would repeat the same crap this season, but that doesn’t make it any easier to digest.
Did anyone out there honestly think that the chap who got taken to court for his role in the most fraudulent transfer deal in the history of the sport would spend £70M on a top level player (at least not for a few seasons ha ha ha ) is only kidding themselves.
With these parasites gorging themselves upon the host it’s fair to say:
The club is in a bad place. (See Man Utd under Glazers and Lolwood, add some meth and crack and you’ll then be getting close to Raul’s current recipe for the Gunners.
Tierny looks good though! Possibly?
Yes. I like the taste of crumbs I don’t deny it.
better then nothing eh?
Better then shit without a stick for sure.
Even though we know that we saw the same signs last season and that if Arsenal ever cared about anything more than just finishing in Top 4, Unai Emery would have found life difficult but in reality I don’t think he and any manager for that matter would have been sacked at Arsenal unless we are in bottom half or something. But come the mid of 2nd season, it’s a different story and if Unai kept this awful style of football with fluke results on Aubameyang’s mercy than board would have blown it if he is not gone come January.
I agree that Raul is not the Don that many have made him out to be. But we live in times where fans are easily wooed in by some big money signings. To them this is the only thing that matters that their team wins the transfer market which nowadays is not judged on value for money but rather just money.
Do I expect the board who appointed Unai Emery to replace Arsene Wenger to make better decisions in future? Absolutely NO!
I expect following this entirely insincere and risible complete volte farce in the last week by the sloshing clowns, from the Billy Big Blaggers who told us that, and I quote:
“Ramsey and Ozil can’t play together”
Will not be turning their backs on their Daddy Raul. Not after they destroyed ALL their credibility trying to convince their gullible audience that Emery is a Football coach.
Anyone that was incapable of picking a peak Ramsey to play as an 8 until it was too late to save the Gunners season, or be critical of an ignorant cut backing or is it kick backing “financier” like Daddy Raul who gave us Litchensteiner over Chambers, is also a parasite feasting upon the club and they have:
Zero credibility in Football.
When it comes to the Football!
And they are not going to be critical of Daddy Raul anytime soon.
Which is why Shotta had to set up this blog.
Thank you Shotts.