11 Feb 2019 11:46:00
I'm so surprised there is so much negativity towards Emery from some on here. Emery has been given no time at all. I'm of the belief that any manager needs much longer than they are normally given to show whether they're good enough, unless they're losing almost every game which we are not. Pep, Klopp (4 years still not won anything) were not instant successes and given time have proven themselves. Emery deserves the same especially with the squad he has inherited.
He has a proven track record throughout his career winning various high level competitions and accolades. Steve quoted a while ago "Three times europa league winner, french treble winner, 8 major trophy winner, three times promoted in his early days with clubs who had never been promoted, european coach of the year".
He has only been able to make 5 signings with limited funds (now a 6th with Suarez - too early to say anything) :
- A keeper mainly for the future who seems alright but was never going to have a huge impact to the overall team performance.
- 2 veteran defenders on a free just to give us any sense of depth at the back - again was never going to be able to improve us much.
- 2 young midfielders who will need time and have needed time to properly improve and implement themselves into an Arsenal system.
That's all he was able to do to improve the piece of **** squad he was left with.
He was given a team with two strikers (both having not been at the club for long) and a creative midfielder who shows up 1 game in every 4 and that's it.
How was he supposed to make huge improvements to our previous season?

He has brought what personally seems like a more structured system, with the willingness to change tactics when they are going wrong - and that is all we could have asked for this season. Defensively (unless we play unattractive football) we were always going to be as bad.

{Ed001's Note - 8 trophies - 3 no one wants (Europa Leagues) and 3 with PSG in a league with no competition. So actually he has only really won 2 and he has never proven able to succeed in handling big egos.}

1.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 12:21:23
I swear that always happens on this site. That's not the important part and was just one reason why maybe he should be more respected. Also nullifying achievements that are still achievements. It's not like Europa never has difficult teams to beat. And they were unlucky in the champs league.

And That's missing the main point I was trying to make. He hasn't had a chance to really improve the squad. He hasn't been given enough time and deserves more. He hasn't really done a lot wrong with a squad that I don't think anyone could have got much better out of.

{Ed001's Note - really? So he couldn't have organised a defensive system by now? People like you are making excuses for his failings. There is absolutely no improvement in the defence, despite the addition of something Wenger lacked - a defensive midfielder. Yet still Emery's defence is even worse than when he took over. How is that not his fault?}

2.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 12:51:32
No one is calling for Emery head and I think most accept he must be given the minimum 2 years but what people are saying is they are most certainly not impressed with what they are or have seen so far.
People shocked and disappointed in is his total lack of in organising our defence any better than Arsene did, we are every bit as poor at the back and in defensive midfield as ever but not solely because of the players we havd but because of the total lack of coaching and organising us into some kind of effective unit that understands what they are supposed to be doing.
This was Arsenes biggest weakness and it looks like it's Dicks too so far.
Forget about the players we do or don't have and just show me the defensive game plan that we've lacked for years because only with a decent game plan organisation and discipline will buying new players make any difference at all.

3.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 13:03:37
I completely agree we had hoped for much, much more at the back. I’m not excusing his shortcomings obviously we should have had more defensive improvement and that hasn’t come. It’s the bigger picture stuff that I’m trying to get at. This is the best top 6 in years and we are still massively in contention for 4th – which is what everyone expected at the start of the season!

One player can make a huge difference as well. Van Dijk is the example everyone uses because it’s just true. He has improved a defence that was initially pretty poor.

And what’s wrong with making excuses for his failings when there are legitimate justifications to be given. I’m not trying to come off as antagonistic, I know no one is calling for his head. Really all I’m doing is offering up another opinion and the other side of the argument. Especially when a manager I still believe can build something given more time is getting so much ****.

He’s still got a long way to go of course and yeah it is super annoying we still are just a 4 sieves and a drain at the back.

{Ed001's Note - you are right one player can make a difference, and you have that player in Torreira, so why is it not working?}

4.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 13:36:29
I think what most people are saying Henry is " Dick you've got 2 seasons and we want expect need to see a lot lot more from your defence for us to Want you here for much much longer than 2 years "
But it's 2 years and if you can't make us more effective than our last manager could then thanks for your efforts but we need to find a man that can.
All the fans are doing now is letting Dick know where he stands and that the days of Arsenal being 4th place content are most definitely over.
United Chelsea City Liverpool Spurs fans all want and expect their clubs to compete and challenge for titles at least why is it unreasonable for Arsenal fans to want some of that too?
We will never have it without a defence so the expectation of Dick is to build one that is effective in 2 seasons and it's not all about money it's about ability to build organise and motivation much more than simply Just spending money.

{Ed002's Note - It is three seasons.}

5.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 13:44:54
just an opinion. but considering emery prefers to play out from the back, would he not need great CB's for that?

with the current lot, the most stable i saw our defense was during the Chelsea game. bell, kos, pappa, kola. those 4 together had a great game till bells injury. so i don't think that emery is incapable of setting up a good defense, just that he does not have the personnel. the second mustaphi comes into the fray, we are done for. takes too much time on the ball. personally i think he has an IQ that matches a donkey. gets caught out by players from teams like Huddersfield. with bell and pappa injured, along with monreal being too old and injury prone, we are going to need to revamp this whole back 4. but between the back 4 at chelsea i saw hope, only with my hope to die with bells injury and not soon after papp's at united. again mustaphi came on and ruined the game!

since i've watched football, all great teams who have achieved greatness have one thing in common, a very good defense. a solid defense gives your offensive players the confidence and opportunities to play to their strengths. so in short i don't think Dick has done an amazing job or even a good job. but we need to give him time to reshuffle the back line and hopefully sign some wingers. COYG!

6.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 13:59:07
I thought it was 2 years with a 3rd year if both parties were happy Ed002?

{Ed002's Note - No, I have explained this - it is 3 years with a two year break point.}

7.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 15:07:50
Its harsh to solely blame Emery for our defensive performances this season. Anyone can see that there is no clear improvement in our defense based on both what you see unfold on the pitch and the amount of goals we have conceded. Yes I would've thought Emery would've implemented a better defensive strategy to reduce our goals conceded, but some of the goals are clearly individual errors that he has no control over unless he replaces the player in defence! Also it needs to be noted that a solid defence requires not only good defenders (which we clearly lack in Mustafi, Licht, Kosc and nacho will inevitably decline, AMN not a natural RB etc) but a great understanding between the GK, back 4/ 5, and DM - but this cannot achieved if the defence is constantly rotating and changing each game due to a torrid injury list. Give Emery the summer and next season (hopefully with a fully fit defence) before you judge his defensive tactics/ organisation.

8.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 14:58:40
What exactly does 3 years with a 2 year break point mean Ed? is it not the same thing as 2 years with an optional 3rd season if both parties are happy to continue?
Sorry to be thick but I don't understand the difference between the two :- (.

{Ed002's Note - No, it is a three year contract and after two years the parties could part ways - it is totally different. There is a reason for doing it that way.}

9.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 16:03:50
I see your point CB but like you say about yourself, you would have thought Emery would have implemented a better defensive strategy to stop us conceding as easily as always.
The question is can he? Does he have the knowledge and ability to do what we need most?
We can't expect to continue to be easy pickings at the back and see improvement on our effectiveness to compete, the two Just aren't compatible.
We are a big club like Spurs United Liverpool City Chelsea are and we shouldn't just keep hoping 2 of those 5 have a bad season and let us in the champions league by snatching 4th place we should be competing with them as equals and we will never do that unless we tighten up at the back with a better strategy for doing so.
Being difficult to score against has to be where you start rebuilding surely.

10.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 16:10:21
Emery took over one of the weakest Arsenal squads I can recall, a team in decline under Wenger, having failed to qualify for the CL 2 seasons running. Other than Lichtsteiner, the signings made have been decent and we are currently 4th in a very competitive top 6.
Defensively we have improved from set pieces. The defence has suffered 2 season ending injuries, as well as injuries to all the defenders.
Of the teams in the top 6, Klopp has been in charge since 2015 and hasn't won a thing at Liverpool. Pochettino has been at the Toot since 2014 and hasn't won a thing. Guardiola has been at Man City since 2016 and the club has spent hugely to assemble the current squad, which has won 2 trophies during his time at the club. Chelsea and Man U have new managers this season, with Sarri under enormous pressure and United sacked Mourinho. So it is far from easy at the top of the PL. Emery needs time to reform the squad and he needs our support while he does it. With the players and funds available at the club, I am not sure any other manager could have done any better.

11.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 17:10:50
Ive got to say, from what i have seen, Chelsea, us and even the newly rejuvenated united, have had problems and still don't look too solid. I wouldn't trust any of the defences of those three at all. that's probably why at the moment all three teams are fighting for fourth. Spuds were mightily lucky at home to Leicester the other day and looked very shakey. The top two teams in the league have had settled managers and both started with shakey defences but bit by bit and season by season put it right. Nobody sorts it in a few months.

12.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 19:56:13
Equally Steve no one sorts it out without doing something to sort it, Dick is sticking to the Arsene method of ignore it and hope it just happens by magic all on its own.

13.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 20:49:33
Emery had T. Sliva, Marquinhos as CB at PSG and managed to ship in 6 goals 3 of them came in the last 5 mins after having 4 goals lead against barca, I think that says a lot about his defensive strategies and tactics.
He won the french league with neymar, cavani and Mbappe and his midfield and CB are some of the best in the world but buffled against top teams in the CL again.
You go to play city at home you set up your defence tight and get your tactics spot on, at least when we conceded the first goal he could recognise the weak link and shouted orders but to concede 3 identical goals is pretty shyt.

14.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 20:58:09
RG we are 5th mate and we need to stop with this worst arsenal team and all this crap. We have talent at the club, arsene didn’t know how you use them and now Emery also making mistakes. Ranieri took over a team was about to get relegated, he tightened up his defence and won the league with them, you hire a manager for a reason.

15.) 11 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 23:08:34
Moe, a very true statement. We need to raise our standards, make our concerns be heard and get behind the team and manager. We cannot let anyone think that we are happy playing this boring plodding football with no creativity in th3 team while still can’t bloody defend. This is way below my expectations - forget league position but just how Arsenal should play. That’s what’s important to me. Trophies will come. A disastrous winter window has put Emery back a little so I expect huge changes on and off the pitch in the Summer. If the manager can’t see that and make changes then he’s time is up. Just as W3nger’s time was up. No manager should outstay their welcome especially if they haven’t earned it. Hopefully Emery has a plan, just had a slow execution.

16.) 12 Feb 2019
11 Feb 2019 20:07:08
Gunner, that is something i don't agree on at all. On the contrary, wether he is getting improvement or not, within his limits and constraints, he is actually trying all sorts. that's something you can't throw at him.

17.) 12 Feb 2019
12 Feb 2019 06:44:50
perhaps he sticks to coaching the defence and drilling them? Then stick with a formation and team for more than 1 away game. A simple 3 at the back to protect the goal and stop us getting exposed by our stacking fullbacks?

18.) 12 Feb 2019
12 Feb 2019 08:33:25
What's he doing differently to Arsene to stop goals Steve?
4 at the back 3 at the back at Arsene like Dick toyed with both without success, yet other teams make either system work for them pretty well.
Leicester city are the prime example of not having the best individual players but somehow producing the best defence in thier title winning season, it's not always about what you have but what you get out of it mate.

19.) 12 Feb 2019
12 Feb 2019 11:10:05
I don't get it when someone says Emery's trying something.

He should be knowing what the squad is capable of by now, now, don't forget he has a habit of extensively analysing the players and he did so with all our players even before joining us. So trying doesn't make any sense. Playing Xhaka in CB position when some of your decent performing youngsters are available is not trying (rather not trusting) .