Unai Emery: Adios

[Makingtrax]

Not even a huge overhaul per se, just improve on the obvious weak links like Mustafi and Kolasinac.

This. We still need to replace Ramsey with a midfielder capable of going past somebody.

 

[Jury]

Say something positive about Özil and watch how fast 5-7 people attack you.

There's no danger of anyone saying anything positive about Özil.

 

[Jury]

If Emery decides to keep Özil and use him as he has done this season, I'll most probably want him gone. I can't have a manager pissing around like that. Sell or **** off.

 

[razörist]

There's no danger of anyone saying anything positive about Özil.

Told you @GDeep™

 

[Jury]

I was reassuring you ffs. You sounded like you needed it

 

[Ceballinhos]

Not even a huge overhaul per se, just improve on the obvious weak links like Mustafi and Kolasinac.

I think we do need a huge overhaul.

This is the players that are leaving this summer and need to be replaced:
Ramsey (new player) / Welbeck (Nelson?) / Cech (Martinez?) / Lichsteiner (new player)

Players we absolutely need to get rid of this summer
Elneny (Guendouzi takes his spot) / Mkhitaryan (new player) / Iwobi (recruit/nketiah? ) / Mustafi (new player) / Chambers (to get funds) / kolasinac (new player)


I'd keep Nacho and Koscielny as backup/veteran players.

That is a lot tbf. 5 new players is a bare minimum and I tried to stay realistic.
I really don't rate AMN as a decent FB option especially if Bellerin is going to miss half of next season.

But it needs to be done.

(Players we should consider selling if the right opportunity comes in:
Özil / Xhaka)

 

[dashsnow17]

Argument for Emery: he's done alright with a piece-of-sh*t squad, and could still win the Europa League.

Argument against: I still don't know what his style of play is after a full season. Haven't a clue.

 

[stiiphunn]

Not even a huge overhaul per se, just improve on the obvious weak links like Mustafi and Kolasinac.

I don't want to be too pessimistic but I think we're weak in a bunch of areas. Mustafi/Kola are indeed the obvious ones. But I think we're also lacking quality in midfield and on the wings. Someone like Iwobi got way too many games this season. Same for Guendouzi. I was looking at our bench yesterday and I found it scary.

I think we've got goals in this team but we're lacking serious quality elsewhere. Ramsey leaving is a big loss. Although he wasn't perfect, he was a clear starter in this team. Are we happy with Özil/Xhaka/Torreira starting in midfield? I'm not sure I am.

 

[Tourbillion]

I don't want to be too pessimistic but I think we're weak in a bunch of areas. Mustafi/Kola are indeed the obvious ones. But I think we're also lacking quality in midfield and on the wings. Someone like Iwobi got way too many games this season. Same for Guendouzi. I was looking at our bench yesterday and I found it scary.

I think we've got goals in this team but we're lacking serious quality elsewhere. Ramsey leaving is a big loss. Although he wasn't perfect, he was a clear starter in this team. Are we happy with Özil/Xhaka/Torreira starting in midfield? I'm not sure I am.

Not one bit.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I don't want to be too pessimistic but I think we're weak in a bunch of areas. Mustafi/Kola are indeed the obvious ones. But I think we're also lacking quality in midfield and on the wings. Someone like Iwobi got way too many games this season. Same for Guendouzi. I was looking at our bench yesterday and I found it scary.

I think we've got goals in this team but we're lacking serious quality elsewhere. Ramsey leaving is a big loss. Although he wasn't perfect, he was a clear starter in this team. Are we happy with Özil/Xhaka/Torreira starting in midfield? I'm not sure I am.

Not if we want to be a regular top 4 team I'm not at all happy with that. Not sure what's going on with Torreira, hopefully he'll be back up to scratch next season but Özil will be 31 next season and he plays in a role that's pretty much obsolete in modern football and Xhaka is too rigid and static while also very careless and has a tendency to lose concentration at crucial times. We'll never be able to compete with sides like City and Liverpool with a midfield like that, two teams who's midfield is filled with energetic hard-working mobile players who swarm the opposition.

This is the problem with our team at the moment tho because it's still a lot stronger and possibly less of a concern then our defence is and our glaring needs for a winger. So it's probably most likely that it'll end up being our starting midfield next season regardless, unless if we sign that Nkunku guy and he has a massive impact.

With our budget we're not going to be able to fix all our problems, so next season we're gonna be left frustrated with we're playing at Anfield, the Etihad (who knows how the other 3 top 6 teams will improve btw) and we'll probably be completely overrun even if we get a better CB, LB and winger.

 

[Penn_]

People act like we haven’t signed Torerria, Leno and Sokratis this year.

The squad has improved but the team hasn’t moved forward. Who can honestly look at our **** performances this season and conclude Emery is our saviour.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

People act like we haven’t signed Torerria, Leno and Sokratis this year.

The squad has improved but the team hasn’t moved forward. Who can honestly look at our **** performances this season and conclude Emery is our saviour.

Why are people acting like 3/4 signings (none of them anywhere near world class btw) should absolutely transform us. Maybe look at our good performances this season like Chelsea at home, Sp**s at home, United at home, Rennes at home Napoli both home and away, Sp**s away, Liverpool at home and our 22 game unbeaten streak as well as the period where we only conceded 1 goal in 7 games and the fact that we've got one foot in an EL final.

Our **** performances are no different to countless **** performances we had last year or even the year before at times or in 15/16 when we bottled the league to ****ing Leicester with Alexis, Özil, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ox, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal all at their best or at least better than some of them are now and we only finished with 71 points that season too. Our **** performances in the last few weeks are a result of mistakes from the likes Mustafi and Xhaka, Kolasinac not being good enough, Monreal being a bit past it, Mkhitaryan and Iwobi not producing enough, Özil going missing. Essentially the same players who let down Wenger are letting down the new manager. Who would have thought it? It's almost as if we've far too many weak players who'll continue to let as down as long as their playing regularly, most of whom we've no choice due to lack of options at times.

People cry about our 3-2 defeat at home to Palace, we lost 3-0 to Palace in 2017 which ended up being the result which cost us top 4. Or the 3-1 defeat to West Brom. Or maybe the time we found ourselves 3-0 down at Bournemouth. Or in 2016 when we lost 3-2 to a United side with Carrick at CB and a bunch of youngsters playing. Our 2-1 defeat at home to Swansea, 1-1 draw at home to Palace, 4-0 defeat away to Southampton, 0-0 draw at home to Southampton, bottling it at home vs a Chelsea side having a dreadful season, drawing 3-3 with West Ham to put the final nail in our coffin as far as the title challenge went. That's before I start making a list of all our poor performances last season. It's almost like some of the lads we have just aren't good enough and will let you down and a 22 year old midfield in a new league and a 30 year old decent at best CB aren't gonna make up for all that entirely on their own.

And for the record I don't think anyone on the planet has concluded that Emery is our saviour, quit the hyperbolic nonsense. People just want to see him given time to fully implement his plan by getting in the players he wants and weeding out the unreliable ones who're still having to be relied upon due to sheer necessity. It's hardly Emery's fault he inherited a team with Mustafi, Kolasinac, aging Monreal, still relying on a crocked aging Koscielny as our best CB, Elneny being there, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi and an Özil who's nowhere near as good as he once was. Maybe get rid of at least 85% of those guys, get in some new players and then we can really start judging him when he isn't being forced to play guys from the previous regime who're obviously not good enough. Even then it'll be hard to change all that completely because of our financial restrictions but I'm sure there'll be some changes.

 

[stiiphunn]

Not if we want to be a regular top 4 team I'm not at all happy with that. Not sure what's going on with Torreira, hopefully he'll be back up to scratch next season but Özil will be 31 next season and he plays in a role that's pretty much obsolete in modern football and Xhaka is too rigid and static while also very careless and has a tendency to lose concentration at crucial times. We'll never be able to compete with sides like City and Liverpool with a midfield like that, two teams who's midfield is filled with energetic hard-working mobile players who swarm the opposition.

This is the problem with our team at the moment tho because it's still a lot stronger and possibly less of a concern then our defence is and our glaring needs for a winger. So it's probably most likely that it'll end up being our starting midfield next season regardless, unless if we sign that Nkunku guy and he has a massive impact.

With our budget we're not going to be able to fix all our problems, so next season we're gonna be left frustrated with we're playing at Anfield, the Etihad (who knows how the other 3 top 6 teams will improve btw) and we'll probably be completely overrun even if we get a better CB, LB and winger.

I entirely agree with this. I think the mobility/static comment you make is spot on. I think this is what bothers me the most when I look at this midfield trio.

 

[Tourbillion]

Why are people acting like 3/4 signings (none of them anywhere near world class btw) should absolutely transform us. Maybe look at our good performances this season like Chelsea at home, Sp**s at home, United at home, Rennes at home Napoli both home and away, Sp**s away, Liverpool at home and our 22 game unbeaten streak as well as the period where we only conceded 1 goal in 7 games and the fact that we've got one foot in an EL final.

Our **** performances are no different to countless **** performances we had last year or even the year before at times or in 15/16 when we bottled the league to ****ing Leicester with Alexis, Özil, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ox, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal all at their best or at least better than some of them are now and we only finished with 71 points that season too. Our **** performances in the last few weeks are a result of mistakes from the likes Mustafi and Xhaka, Kolasinac not being good enough, Monreal being a bit past it, Mkhitaryan and Iwobi not producing enough, Özil going missing. Essentially the same players who let down Wenger are letting down the new manager. Who would have thought it? It's almost as if we've far too many weak players who'll continue to let as down as long as their playing regularly, most of whom we've no choice due to lack of options at times.

People cry about our 3-2 defeat at home to Palace, we lost 3-0 to Palace in 2017 which ended up being the result which cost us top 4. Or the 3-1 defeat to West Brom. Or maybe the time we found ourselves 3-0 down at Bournemouth. Or in 2016 when we lost 3-2 to a United side with Carrick at CB and a bunch of youngsters playing. Our 2-1 defeat at home to Swansea, 1-1 draw at home to Palace, 4-0 defeat away to Southampton, 0-0 draw at home to Southampton, bottling it at home vs a Chelsea side having a dreadful season, drawing 3-3 with West Ham to put the final nail in our coffin as far as the title challenge went. That's before I start making a list of all our poor performances last season. It's almost like some of the lads we have just aren't good enough and will let you down and a 22 year old midfield in a new league and a 30 year old decent at best CB aren't gonna make up for all that entirely on their own.

And for the record I don't think anyone on the planet has concluded that Emery is our saviour, quit the hyperbolic nonsense. People just want to see him given time to fully implement his plan by getting in the players he wants and weeding out the unreliable ones who're still having to be relied upon due to sheer necessity. It's hardly Emery's fault he inherited a team with Mustafi, Kolasinac, aging Monreal, still relying on a crocked aging Koscielny as our best CB, Elneny being there, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi and an Özil who's nowhere near as good as he once was. Maybe get rid of at least 85% of those guys, get in some new players and then we can really start judging him when he isn't being forced to play guys from the previous regime who're obviously not good enough. Even then it'll be hard to change all that completely because of our financial restrictions but I'm sure there'll be some changes.

How do we know he has a plan? Also two of the three people who brought him in have ****ed off. Who's sailing our ship?

 

[stiiphunn]

How do we know he has a plan? Also two of the three people who brought him in have ****ed off. Who's sailing our ship?

You think he's some kind of idiot who doesn't have a plan? Come on. Your second question is an entirely legitimate one, though. But this goes beyond Emery. We've lost a number of executives and, at this point in time, I don't see a clear vision coming out of this club. This is a worry of mine as well but this is clearly not Emery's doing.

 

[Ceballinhos]

People act like we haven’t signed Torerria, Leno and Sokratis this year.

The squad has improved but the team hasn’t moved forward. Who can honestly look at our **** performances this season and conclude Emery is our saviour.

Last august when we were going into the season, did you think those signings were enough to have a huge impact in our season?

Before going into the season we knew we had to bin Mustafi and replace him with a very solid CB. He's played 30 games this season.
And we also knew we couldn't rely on Koscielny to be fit and play twice a week.

Was Sokratis enough as a defensive signing? We were all disappointed that he was our only CB signing.

Leno Torreira Sokratis were good buys/values but we knew it wasn't enough when you have to play Mustafi & Xhaka so much who by themselves have cost us multiple points.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

How do we know he has a plan? Also two of the three people who brought him in have ****ed off. Who's sailing our ship?

Well I'd be pretty worried if it turned out he didn't have some sort of a plan. He probably shouldn't even be a football manager if he doesn't.

I assume Raul is sailing the ship with a lot of input from Emery. At least until a technical director is appointed anyways.

 

[Makingtrax]

I think we do need a huge overhaul.

This is the players that are leaving this summer and need to be replaced:
Ramsey (new player) / Welbeck (Nelson?) / Cech (Martinez?) / Lichsteiner (new player)

Players we absolutely need to get rid of this summer
Elneny (Guendouzi takes his spot) / Mkhitaryan (new player) / Iwobi (recruit/nketiah? ) / Mustafi (new player) / Chambers (to get funds) / kolasinac (new player)


I'd keep Nacho and Koscielny as backup/veteran players.

That is a lot tbf. 5 new players is a bare minimum and I tried to stay realistic.
I really don't rate AMN as a decent FB option especially if Bellerin is going to miss half of next season.

But it needs to be done.

(Players we should consider selling if the right opportunity comes in:
Özil / Xhaka)

We’ll never have the funds for that sort of turnover, even though I agree with the assessment.

Still not over happy with Sokratis either. He’s a much better footballer than Mustafi but he’s hot headed and that could cost you in big games. The best centre backs like VVD and Koscielny don’t lose their cool.

Have we even got a head of transfers yet after Sven’s departure?

 

[Jasard]

Özil has bags of talent but we don't need players that divide the fan base or is involved in any controversy - be it his fault or not. Has to be sold as part of our reset process.

 

[Fewtch]

It’s pretty simple, the man is a pragmatic result oriented manager without a particular style (as Emery’s Angels have been arguing for months) so he should simply be judged on the results. If he doesn’t deliver those results at the end of the season then there’s no reason for us to continue this Emery experiment since he’s not building towards anything in terms of style and identity like a Klopp or Guardiola would.

He has stifled the attack with this Kolasinac cutback nonsense, we are somehow worse defensively and every underlying stat suggests that we’re in a false position in the league unlike last year when we were as **** as our position in the table suggested. Why should he be backed when he can’t even do his end of the job in improving the team in anyway whatsoever or taking us to the CL after spending 70m?

Even if we manage to win the EL I hope the club decides to move on from Emery and replace him with someone who will bring more to the table than boring pragmatism.