Arsenal 2018/19

Revaulx

Full Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
6,046
Location
Saddleworth
So a simple change in manager was all they needed to shift the entire feeling around their club.
They’ve had more than a simple change of manager. They completely restructured their backroom/recruitment staff, and started to get rid of Wenger’s coterie of yes men even before he’d left.
 

Bubz27

No I won’t change your tag line
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
21,590
They’ve had more than a simple change of manager. They completely restructured their backroom/recruitment staff, and started to get rid of Wenger’s coterie of yes men even before he’d left.
I did word it simply, but most managers bring a new backroom staff with them right?

From what we hear, United are restructuring behind the scenes aren't they?
 

John_Jensen

Full Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
2,806
I did word it simply, but most managers bring a new backroom staff with them right?

From what we hear, United are restructuring behind the scenes aren't they?
Think he's referring to Raul Sanllehi being brought in basically as DOF and Sven Miselentat as Head of Recruitment(among others) before Chirstmas last year, 6 months before Wenger was to leave.
 

Bubz27

No I won’t change your tag line
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
21,590
Think he's referring to Raul Sanllehi being brought in basically as DOF and Sven Miselentat as Head of Recruitment(among others) before Chirstmas last year, 6 months before Wenger was to leave.
So we're still far off a turnaround then
 

Grinner

Not fat gutted. Hirsuteness of shoulders TBD.
Staff
Joined
May 5, 2003
Messages
72,287
Location
I love free dirt and rocks!
Supports
Arsenal

SquishyMcSquish

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Messages
8,198
Supports
Tottenham
Meh, they beat us 2-0 at the Emirates last season too.

Our big game away record is dreadful. I expect like last season we will beat them at home though.

Tha said, there's obviously an improvement at the club. They're finally getting the best out of that attacking talent.
 

Giant Midget

Aka - rooney_10119
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
5,220
I did word it simply, but most managers bring a new backroom staff with them right?

From what we hear, United are restructuring behind the scenes aren't they?
We’ve been hearing about this mysterious restructuring for about 3 years. It’s the same as that mythical “value in the market” bullshit we heard a few seasons ago. It’s not happening, Ed doesn’t want to give up being hands-on in the football side.
 

C'est Moi Cantona

Full Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
8,801
I can't help but feel happy for them, our games against them in the early-mid noughties were the best I can remember, and I loved it when they just played the same way every time latterly under Wenger even though it so clearly wasn't working.

I'll probably hate them soon, but nice to see them moving on so quickly.
 

Bubz27

No I won’t change your tag line
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
21,590
I can't help but feel happy for them, our games against them in the early-mid noughties were the best I can remember, and I loved it when they just played the same way every time latterly under Wenger even though it so clearly wasn't working.

I'll probably hate them soon, but nice to see them moving on so quickly.
By 8:13 on Wednesday I'd imagine.
 

tomaldinho1

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
17,867
if you're going use terms like seen the light you'd come across much less of a dick doing so if you didn't just do it after a game he's scored two goals (one a pen) in
You got my question though right - Do you still think he wouldn't improve our starting XI?
 

ketoth

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
4
Supports
Arsenal
Huge performance and result today. We will celebrate winning the North London Derby like winning the world cup because we can.

We're not cuckoos though. We're in transition and our defence is still crap but Emery has us moving forwards.
 

montpelier

Full Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
10,637
Seems a bit more fire in the belly somehow.

Formidable attacking options, Aubameyang is absolute top class, imo. His temperament rumoured to be a bit dodgy is it?
 

Needham

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
11,792
In the PL matchday thread feckers were practically salivating over Arsenals resurgence. I was quietly hoping Spurs -a known quantity- caned them. Another of the top 6 establishing a quantum leap in development over Utd is not what we need right now. Unless you're a footballing masochist, yesterday was very bad news.
 

Ooh2B

Full Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
374
Supports
Arsenal
Meh, they beat us 2-0 at the Emirates last season too.

Our big game away record is dreadful. I expect like last season we will beat them at home though.

Tha said, there's obviously an improvement at the club. They're finally getting the best out of that attacking talent.
One of the biggest takeaways for me today was the tenacity and fight shown in order to come back from a loosing position and win it comfortably.

It might be all a bit “meh” for Spurs fans, but anyone watching that game sat up a little straighter today.

I’m not going to declare us back in business just yet because that defence scares the shizn out of me at times, albeit Leno is looking good, and a lot of other pieces seem to be clicking into place. A good xfer window next summer will hopefully help fill in the gaps..
 

VorZakone

What would Kenny G do?
Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
33,010
If I were them, I'd splash cash on a new top CB. Mustafi is meh.
 

Pires_7

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Messages
41
Supports
Arsenal
We still got koscielny coming back, even though 33 he's still our best defender.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

awop

Odds winner of 'Odds or Evens 2022/2023'
Newbie
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
4,245
Location
Paris
Supports
Arsenal
If I were them, I'd splash cash on a new top CB. Mustafi is meh.
Defense has to be this summer's plan. There was word of Tagliafico for the LB spot but i really want to see what Sven is going to conjure up for the CB position.
I was completely against Sokratis but he turned out to be pretty good and i'm glad he's here ! I don't think we will have a massive amount to invest again : probably under 90/100m. THere is also strong rumours about Cengiz Under from Roma but he would cost a lot.
 

Harry190

Bobby ten Hag
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
7,619
Location
Canada
Ever since the game against Chelsea, you knew they were on the up. Still don't understand how they did not win that one. Never seen so many sitters missed.

And doing well with Holding at the back, which to me is crazy since he is a below-par CB. They're much better than us. Not sure how some peeps thought we'd be fighting against them for 5th place.
 

Grinner

Not fat gutted. Hirsuteness of shoulders TBD.
Staff
Joined
May 5, 2003
Messages
72,287
Location
I love free dirt and rocks!
Supports
Arsenal
We're in some trouble now that Holding will be out for a long spell. Hoping that Koscielny can play is not the answer. Emery needs to buy at least two defenders pretty sharpish.
 

NieThePiet

Full Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
2,220
Supports
Werder Bremen, Arsenal
We're in some trouble now that Holding will be out for a long spell. Hoping that Koscielny can play is not the answer. Emery needs to buy at least two defenders pretty sharpish.
Monreal played many games as LCB under Wenger. Could see him there too for Emery.
 

Jacckk1985

Thinks we should ban Niall
Newbie
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Messages
483
Location
Estonia
We're in some trouble now that Holding will be out for a long spell. Hoping that Koscielny can play is not the answer. Emery needs to buy at least two defenders pretty sharpish.
Ain't that young Greece dude back from injury also?
 

NieThePiet

Full Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
2,220
Supports
Werder Bremen, Arsenal
@Grinner Where is Monreal? I watched your last two games and didnt see him. That lb you got on a free is a good player and that kid in CM with the stupid haircut is an outstanding talent.
Injured too. But looks like he started to train again before the United game.
 

ketoth

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
4
Supports
Arsenal
3 players booked for diving. Is that a record?
 

awop

Odds winner of 'Odds or Evens 2022/2023'
Newbie
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
4,245
Location
Paris
Supports
Arsenal
Holding out for the season, Sokratis suspended, Mustafi injured and suspended.
Southampton away with Liechesteiner / Monreal / Koscielny in a back 3 is going to be scary, they all lack minutes, let's hope we can grind a win and don't lose anyone else.
 

breakout67

Full Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Messages
9,050
Supports
Man City
and yet none of them as spectacular as Rashford today.
He didn't even dive, he collided in the follow through and the ref decided to give a second yellow for a clean tackle. The ref also gave a penalty for a clean tackle by Herrera. The ref in our game was horrible the whole 90 minutes, kept on getting decisions wrong for both teams.
 

JSArsenal

Full Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
1,731
Holding out for the season, Sokratis suspended, Mustafi injured and suspended.
Southampton away with Liechesteiner / Monreal / Koscielny in a back 3 is going to be scary, they all lack minutes, let's hope we can grind a win and don't lose anyone else.
It would be a huge mistake to play a back 3 now with so many central defenders out injured. Especially since we would have to use our back up fullbacks to do so. What exactly would happen if Liechsteiner got injured playing every week at CB? Would Bellerin have to play every game during the Christmas period? Only for him to break down and get injured as well? The solution isn't to try to keep on playing a back 3 when we don't have the personnel for it, but to go back to a back 4.

Bellerin-Koscielny-Pleguezelo/Monreal-Kolasinac for Southampton and then rotate as needed once Sokratis comes back

If Kolasinac can't play in a back 4 then he needs to be sold in January because we don't have enough defenders to play 3 at the back for the entire season. He isn't good enough for us to change our entire formation just to accommodate him.
 
Last edited:

Tommy

bigot with fetish for footballers getting fingered
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Messages
10,672
Location
Birmingham
Supports
Liverpool
Would any Arsenal fans get rid of Ozil & keep Ramsey instead? Ramsey has seen really up for it in the big games lately, has 3 years on Ozil, is more suited to the #8 than Ozil, is on lot lower wages than Ozil... Oh, and he complain about his back :D

'twas just something I thought about. Instead of keeping Ozil & use Ramsey's freed up wages to go after one player, why not keep Ramsey & use Ozil's freed up wages to go after two?
 

Elite Intelligence

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Messages
13
Supports
Arsenal
Would any Arsenal fans get rid of Ozil & keep Ramsey instead? Ramsey has seen really up for it in the big games lately, has 3 years on Ozil, is more suited to the #8 than Ozil, is on lot lower wages than Ozil... Oh, and he complain about his back :D

'twas just something I thought about. Instead of keeping Ozil & use Ramsey's freed up wages to go after one player, why not keep Ramsey & use Ozil's freed up wages to go after two?
I rather get rid of both for decent amount of cash and replace them with younger players with more upside. Ozil can def leave though, one of the most overrated players in football
 

espnluk

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
20
Supports
Arsenal
Would any Arsenal fans get rid of Ozil & keep Ramsey instead? Ramsey has seen really up for it in the big games lately, has 3 years on Ozil, is more suited to the #8 than Ozil, is on lot lower wages than Ozil... Oh, and he complain about his back :D

'twas just something I thought about. Instead of keeping Ozil & use Ramsey's freed up wages to go after one player, why not keep Ramsey & use Ozil's freed up wages to go after two?
Would any? Well yes, the answer is that many would. I'm not 100% sure what I would myself, it's a tricky situation. Emery does not seem to favor Ramsey/see where he can fit in his system. Xhaka is, whether you like it or not, essential to our midfield being functional, while Torreira is undroppable. Then again Özil has probably had his weakest season yet so far. We do not know for sure what wages Ramsey wanted, but since we withdrew the contract offer once Emery was hired it can only mean that Gazidis and Wenger valued Ramsey more than the new regime.

If I had to choose one of them to keep, I'd probably keep Ramsey. The thing with Özil is that as a pure number 10 he removes a lot of flexibility from our lineups. He doesn't work out wide, while Ramsey can play both as a CAM, a CM and even as a defensive winger Özil on top of his game is clearly the better player, but I'm not sure that happens often enough for it to outweigh his weaknesses.. Ramsey's biggest problem is the Gerrard syndrome that English players seem to suffer from, namely that they all think adding goals to their game is the most important aspect of being a midfielder.
 

jeff gurr

Full Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
1,253
Location
Canada
Supports
Leicester City
CBs have been our problem for years now. It's hard to find a good one and they are really expensive.
In my mind, CB is the most important position on the team and are notoriously hard to find. You are right about good ones being expensive and the trick is to buy young and develop as you did with Holding
 

cesc's_mullet

Get a haircut Hippy!
Joined
Apr 9, 2006
Messages
27,066
Supports
Arsenal
In my mind, CB is the most important position on the team and are notoriously hard to find. You are right about good ones being expensive and the trick is to buy young and develop as you did with Holding
Unfortunately he's out for a long time, and who knows how he will cope when he returns. He was looking promising though which makes it that much worse to lose him.

Hopefully our other Greek Adonis gets back soon and continues in the form he finished last season in.

Sokratis has really exceeded all expectations this season and is turning out too be a great signing, but we are thin at CB - especially if Emery continues too play 3 CB's. We are relying on Mustafi (who has played to a higher standard than last season), Sokratis (our best CB), Koscielny (just returned of a potential career-ending injury), Mavraponis (young and inexperienced, and still injured) and Monreal (obviously not his preferred position).

If Sokratis goes down or even cops a ban, which is coming, then we are in struggle town.