Ok so not quite half way yet but I couldn’t wait to get this off my broad buff chest.
So beginning of the season I predicted that we would, with a healthy dosage of luck, finish 2nd. Do I still stand to that prediction? Of course not for fack sake. It was obviously a WUM.
We are miles behind the likes of City, Liverpool and Chelsea. Our only bit of hope is that Spurs are having an average season and Man Utd are garbage, so there is the slender possibility that we might get top 4. But really we all kind of knew this season was very much a transitional one for Emery to implement his philosophy to this group of players.
So how would you rate these fledgling first few months of the new regime? For me I would rate it as 5.5/10. I won’t lie, I was kind of hoping Emery would be a miracle worker and somehow turn the likes of Mustafi, Xhaka, Elneny, Bellerin, Monreal into capable footballers. And although Bellerin has shown a lot of improvement, the others really haven’t and riddled with the same mistakes, which often cost us in the game.
There has been success. Iwobi is a different beast from last season and if he focuses on his game and ignores the hype, he’ll make a fine footballer. Rob Holding for me is now very much first team material. He’s come on leaps and bounds from the meek sheep of the last few years. Bellerin is slowly but surely improving but is still prone to lapses of concentration. Lacazette is playing like the striker we all hoped he would when he signed for us at the start of last season.
However, stat wise we’ve not really improved and on the field we’ve often struggled to finish of ‘lesser’ teams. There are positives, in that the performance in the Liverpool game was good and we didn’t buckle to their superior attack. But generally I’m not sure Emery knows his best line up.
Personally I think we’re significantly handicapped with the kind of player Emery has at his disposal. The squad is packed full of average to mediocre players that need moving on to free up transfer funds/wages/squad space. IMO, we need a new CB, CM, LB and Wingers, the latter two of which are critical. We all know the issues in our defence but we also lack that creative element in the centre of midfield. We badly miss a Santi Cazorla-esq type of player in the centre of midfield to take the ball from the excellent Torriera and release play. We lack creativity in the side generally and it doesn’t help when Ozil has one of his many off-days. I don’t think Aubameyang out wide particularly helps as he offers little to nothing in the creative department.
I hope Emery will be given funds to improve the squad and to move on a few of the players he doesn’t see fitting into his system. But really I’m expecting little to no activity during the transfer window. The majority of the business will be done in the summer when we’re clearer on the our league finish.
How would you rate this season so far? WUMs welcome
Arsenal: Halfway report
posted on 13/11/18
comment by Serial WUManiser™© - In Unai We Trust (U1410)
posted 41 minutes ago
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 2 minutes ago
Pretty fed up of hearing that we would have lost that game last season.
At home last season we only lost to the Manchester clubs
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We've only lost at home to a Manchester club this season as well.
We've definitely haven't got worse but we've not made the leaps and bounds i thought we might in this season. A lot of that has been getting back to the very basics with some players.
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Well we have dropped points to Wolves. The only games we drew at home last season were to Liverpool and Chelsea
posted on 13/11/18
Wolves have taken points of City at home, United away, and should have taken a point off Spurs. They're a decent side.
posted on 13/11/18
People need to remember this isn't the 2009-2012 Wolves team. This side is much much better than that side. So it was always going to be a difficult match.
In my opinion I would give Emery 7/10. Hes made mostly correct tactical decisions and at the right time of the game too. No waiting till the 70th min to do the first sub. However, I would like to know if any work in training is going into our defensive work. Hes still new and it does take time but i don't see much improvement if any in our defending.
Emery has improved Lacazette, Iwobi and Bellerin greatly for me. These players have been playing more like how we were hoping. I would say that I would like a bit more still especially Iwobi and Bellerin.
Xhaka has shown signs of improvement but then he still makes silly mistakes. Needs to cut it out.
Otherwise players like Mustafi, Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan, Elneny, etc. have not impressed me and I think are areas that require improvement. They are not getting any better.
I think we will make 1 signing in January max. I would hope this is for a tall strong commanding Centre Back but I suspect it'll be a young player with a future. Maybe a young Left Winger.
We should also do all we can to sell Ramsey in January rather than let him go for free. We need something.
All in all I think there has been an improvement in Arsenal but not as great as we originally thought. The winning run and the unbeaten run has done wonders for our confidence. It has made us believe we can get top 4 again. However, the real test starts now after the international break. Those thick and fast winter games when a squad is tested. I think we will have a better idea after xmas if we can achieve top 4.
I suspect the recent has papered over some cracks and that we are not as ready to get top 4 as we predict. The next 3 games are vital in our run to show we can but i think Spurs and United will pick up.
I still see us finishing 6th but we'll be a lot closer to top 4 than i originally thought. I thought we would fall away from top 5 early but I think we'll be there till the end now. Just we'll be 6th.
posted on 13/11/18
We've been better than I expected while still being very much average
We clearly need a several crucial signings but I'll feel we're already on a better track than we were towards the end of Wenger's reign
So far:
Emery = 6.5/10
Squad Quality = 4.5/10
Performances = 5.5
Results = 7/10
Overall 6/10
posted on 13/11/18
As an outsider, or spurs fan as you may call it - My personal opinion is that you out definitely have a chance at top 4. That is without question. I wouldn't say Chelsea are miles ahead and I wouldn't say there is too much difference between us and you. My only criticism would be that I personally don't say too much difference between this season and last. I think Emery needs to have some time to bring his own players in and embed his style. This could take 3 years. Until then, anything you get will be a bonus for you. But I think you will flirt with top 4 and the odd trophy til then. After that is anyone's guess. Too many good sides to guarantee anything IMO.
posted on 13/11/18
I'm alot happier now than I was last season. That's all that really matters.
posted on 13/11/18
It feels like more of a team this season. However, that doesn't take away the fact that it's badly lacking real quality.
As I said, it's arguably the poorest squad we have had for quite a while so achieving 4 will be a massive effort.
As for buying in January. Very unlikely as the lack of cl football is really hurting us financially. Also because we have a board with very limited ambitions
posted on 14/11/18
Essentially, we are still a team that gifts goals to the opposition.
Wolves looked very dangerous on the counter, because we had to take big risks to equalise as we gifted them a goal due to an unforced Xhaka error (and then bad defending).
Crystal Palace had not scored at home until we gifted them 2 penalties.
When we were on the winning run, we were seeing less of these mistakes. We were still exposed defensively of course, but I put that down to mainly our defenders getting used to a new system. And the fact they aren't top class.
But these unforced mistakes are cropping up again. It's clear Emery needs more time to bring in his own players. We are DESPERATE for a winger on that right hand side. If we really are looking to save money, then that Malcom kid on loan from Barca could be worth looking at.
Emery has brought many positive ideas to the team, but he ain't no miracle worker. We look the 5th or 6th best team because we are. I don't think we're far off the 2 or 3 teams above us though. Which is why our next couple of transfer Windows will be crucial.
posted on 14/11/18
I can't understate the impact Torreira has had on the team. Not only does he provide that defensive cover in the midfield that we've been seeking for years, but by shielding the CBs he's exposed them to less gaffs, which might explain why Mustafi has been relatively OK.
Agree with Brother Tu, we're a 6th/5th team at best. But get in a winger and a LB in the winter and i'd put us right into the top 4 mix.
posted on 14/11/18
Agreed about Torreira. Not only does he provide protection, he's useful in possession going forward too, if we need it.
Look at Aubameyang's miss. It was Torreira almost in the no.10 position who found bellerins run, who put the cross in only for Auba to miss . Torreira going forward more was one of the risks we took, and we were heavily exposed.
That wouldn't have happened as often if we didn't give away a bloody goal