People were doubting Pep and City initially, they were floundering after being asked to adapt to his methodology and tactics. Some really did think he was a fraud after struggling early on, he needed to shift dross and bring in particular players.
It’s evident that Emery will need multiple transfer windows to compose the team he truly wants, I hope that he gets sufficient say in bringing players in. It’s all well and good just being given players and told to go out and get it done when you’re Real, Barca and the like being given top players. But since we’re most definitely not he’ll need a say on what players he wants to sign that can play his way.
“Dross” had won the league twice and finished 2nd twice in the past 5 years. Pep spent near £400m to shift most of them out so “they” didn’t really adapt, “they” were not playing anymore, “particular” players that cost about as much as our stadium won the league. And while they might have not done it with an unprecedented cushion, you kind of think they would’ve at least won it even if I coached them. Just like Xavi-Iniesta-Messi Barca would’ve if I coached them. Just like Bayern would’ve stomped Bundesliga and fallen short in the CL if I managed them. Or to be less silly, any ok European manager.
That’s the valid critique against Pep and I don’t think it will ever go away because he would have to manage a team that wouldn’t win the league with an average manager anyway and without throwing a fortune at it, and I suspect Pep will quit coaching before that happens.
Not really.
Graham left Wenger with the best and most organised defence possibly in Europe that went on to win the PL.
Wenger has left Emery with a team that will struggle for a top four place.
It’s not just the team and the players that are not good enough, it’s also the weak attitude and complacency that Wenger allowed to happen, that means Emery is going to struggle to turn it round.
Revisionism. Wenger’s lowest even finish was 6th when the team hadn’t given up playing for him. Graham finished 10th-4th-12th in his final 3 seasons. Wenger took over a team who’d moved upto 5th after signing Bergkamp and Platt. Emery is taking over a team who’s finished 2nd, 5th, 6th and his team has had 140m of investment since January.
He then finished 3rd (joint 2nd) and then won the double in his first full season.
Wenger absolutely revolutionised that Arsenal team and the way we played. To claim we were left in a good state by Graham is to downplay that revolution. The midfield and forward lines were transformed. Anelka, Petit, Overmars, Vieira, Grimandi, Boa Morte massively upgraded that team into title winners
Yes Emery will struggle for 4th but that doesn’t mean he’s been left a worse team than Wenger inherited.
This just completely ignores what Wenger gave to those defenders when he came in. Something they individually and collectively acknowledge.
The overall point can be made that Wenger left a mess without making out like he inherited a bunch of people ready to become champions again. He didn’t.
I actually feel pretty good about what the boys were trying to do tbh.
Will need time, and for Emery to find his best players and tactics.
One thing though, as some others said is, if players are playing shite, don’t keep playing them, that would wind me up so much that you’d pretty much know the lineup for the team no matter what for like 90% of the games.
If Mkhi, Xhaka, and yes even Mesut played like shite, maybe take them out for the next game etc. You know?
Like all managers he lived and died by his signings and his final signings were his failing. He arguably didn’t sign a good player between Alexis coming and going. Xhaka, Mustafi, Gabriel were bad signings for good money. Before then the signings were better, initially they were the stuff of legends. I do question if StatDNA hurt us in this final period.
Still most managers would be happy inheriting Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Monreal and Bellerin. The defensive chore was poor but Toreira, Sokratis and Guenduzzi look decent additions.
Possibly pedantic but if we’re (correctly) considering the kind of fees Mustafi and Xhaka went for to be for “good money”, then Gabriel for less than half that amount can’t be considered “good money” imo (unless I’m mistaken about Gabriel costing about 15m)
Gabriel was before the new PL deal and prices went up after that. Gabriel and Mustafi are similar in that they had great stats for interceptions and are very quick.
I’m not wholly convinced the new deal quite bridges the gap between £14m and £35m, but I take your point about the deal being a factor that should be considered, it didn’t cross my mind. But its an insignificant point and not one I feel strongly enough about to argue
I’m not saying Wenger didn’t do a brilliant job when he took over, and he was the best manager in the PL for several seasons, but he was left the same defence that had previously won the League and several domestic and a European cup. as well as Wright and Bergkamp, so that certainly was a contributory factor in his success.
The defence Wenger has left Emery is a shambles and even if Guardiola took over, it would take a complete overhaul to sort the mess out.
Let’s just be real here. Arsenal can’t, or Kroenke would let us, compete with the spending of Chelsea, City and United, and in the last couple of windows, Liverpool. Hence we are always going to be one step behind. We haven’t hired a manager who belongs in the top bracket of football managers either who might be able to compensate for that for even a little bit. We max out with top four qualification and/or an Europa League for as long as Emery is here. These kind of losses against a really good City side are part of a club which such a profile.
