Freddie Ljungberg

[berric]

I was a bit disappointed with the line up, to be honest.

But! He just took the squad which was already preparing for this week and this was possibly the formation that Emery would pick anyway.

He inherited a team day and a half before the game so I guess he just went with that with a bit more emphasis on attack. It almost worked, we made some great attacks in the first half. Should've been one up.

I kind of feel for him since he says there's a day or two now for preparation and then a new match again. Makes the decision to wait for Unai's sacking even more baffling.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

I haven’t watched the match yet. I cringed a little when I saw the first 11:

1. Xhaka and Guendouzi together
2. Willock at #10
3. Özil our wide
4. No Pepe
5. Kolasinac instead of Tierney
6. Mustafi on the pitch

Reading comments it sounds like:

1. The MF failed to control the middle and were easily cut through
2. Willock had a poor game, possibly the worst of the starters
3. Özil wasn’t as good as his previous games and disappeared at times
4. Lacked a threat from the wings
5. Lacked a threat from the fullbacks
6. Mistakes at the back

Seems despite the above we played well in the first half offensively, but didn’t convert chances. We were hurt on transition, got tired in the 2nd half, and the subs didn’t help.

Hope to see changes next game for each of the six issues called out above. Concerning if Freddie doesn’t see those as issues, seems clear as day.

Reading that summary you do not need to watch the game. Might as well rest and gain strength for Thursday...

 

[RandomHero84]

Absolutely no way of judging Freddie on today. All I took from it was that our attack seemed a little less unburdened, and our defensive personnel and midfield are still what they were a few days ago and it's going to take time.

 

[Highbury_2006]

Keown should be a part of his backroom staff. I think he can do a good job for our defensive structure.

 

[Vanpayslip]

Keown should be a part of his backroom staff. I think he can do a good job for our defensive structure.

Sadly he won’t be because of his experience from the last time he was on the coaching staff at the club.

 

[Highbury_2006]

Sadly he won’t be because of his experience from the last time he was on the coaching staff at the club.

Things are different today.

 

[berric]

Sadly he won’t be because of his experience from the last time he was on the coaching staff at the club.

What happened last time? I can't remember.

I only remember he coached the defense that hasn't conceeded a goal up to a CL final in 06.

 

[Vanpayslip]

What happened last time? I can't remember.

I only remember he coached the defense that hasn't conceeded a goal up to a CL final in 06.

At the time he wanted to implement his coaching ideas but was blocked by Wenger. Wenger thought that he would destroy the confidence of the defenders in the team if he were to coach them as he wanted. He felt he couldn’t carry on so left the staff.

 

[krackpot]

Just love to see such a young man on our touchline.

 

[Flying Okapis]

Sadly he won’t be because of his experience from the last time he was on the coaching staff at the club.

I think some of the players are too far gone, Mustafi/David Luiz - it is my strong belief these two cannot be coached to be better, the system can be better I suppose but they will always give up goals, I just cant see them improving much as defenders, I also have a suspicion that both think they are better than they are and wont listen anyway, David Luiz is at a stage in his career where he probably isn't bothered about learning from Keown and Mustafi will only get better once he drops down a level and goes to Bundesliga or Serie A etc..

Bellerin/Kola/Tierney there is hope their positioning and defensive awareness can be improved but the mix of all our defenders and lack of midfield is a recipe for disaster.

We need a clear out of quite a few, two new CB's, hopefully Upamecano/Saliba who can just go at it from day 1 and form a partnership which doesnt change, our back 4 is constantly changing, the Tierney/Kola race needs a conclusion too, it cannot keep changing, I agree with competition for places but we kind of need a first 11-15, at the moment its like anyone can get drafted in, you can be out for weeks and then you end up starting, we are in a different stage, when you are high flying and everyone performing you can get away with tinkering as the base will carry you through.

We have no base, its like our squad is still on a summer tour, Leno/Auba I suppose, everyone else is just a random combination at this point.

Hope that rant makes sense as I'm not sure I explained it too well

 

[Aussie_gunner123]

We've got to give Ljungberg a chance for a few weeks, matches at least, we shouldn't judge him after just 2 days & 1 game after taking over. From what I remember a lot of us were supporting him when he got the interim role & looking forward to seeing him as manager, saying to support him aswell. Now it seems to me that because he didn't get a win his first game everyone's saying he's not good enough & has to go. At least he put us back to a back 4 although shouldn't have picked Mustafi. Mustafi has to go pretty obvious.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I was happy Freddie mentioned how poor we were in transition in his post-match interview.

If he wants us to play 4-2-3-1, we really need to improve when we lose the ball.

The brutal fact is probably that we don't have good enough players in defence and midfield. You also have to question the wisdom of spending £72m on a winger, when our central defenders are as they are.

 

[Joestlaachmkr]

Freddie is basically Ole 2.0, but let us hope that he doesn`t do as bad.

 

[Aussie_gunner123]

I was happy Freddie mentioned how poor we were in transition in his post-match interview.

If he wants us to play 4-2-3-1, we really need to improve when we lose the ball.

The brutal fact is probably that we don't have good enough players in defence and midfield. You also have to question the wisdom of spending £72m on a winger, when our central defenders are as they are.

I don't know whether he is our only manager for a while that has noticed that & stated it, at least we know thats one thing he will work on now hopefully get us better at that. We won't improve on that overnight it will take time but it's good he stated that.

If he doesn't get the permanent role but stays with the club in some capacity hopefully he will recommend to the next manager to buy a few top defenders.

 

[morpho]

Keown should be a part of his backroom staff. I think he can do a good job for our defensive structure.

That structure would still be made of paper clips... We just dont have the personel to compete. Our team is ****!

 

[Jasard]

Freddie isn't staying as manager, the main thing is we are rid of Emery. It's going to take some experience of dealing with players to turn the mentality of this squad around.

Bit concerned by his lineup and subs choices but I can only hope he's not had enough time to change from Emerys preparations.

His options are pretty awful. CB is full of duds, fullbacks unavailable. His midfield and front choices were suspect though.

Everyone's now yelling how this squad is **** yet we're pretty hyped by it in the summer, defense aside. Noone really saw Torreira being messed with and Pepe being frozen out.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Considering how vital it is to get the next appointment right, I hope Freddie can keep us afloat till then.

We got some tough fixtures coming up, and our options in central defence are not great.

 

[Maybe]

I think some of the players are too far gone, Mustafi/David Luiz - it is my strong belief these two cannot be coached to be better

Luiz can still be tested as DMC and I hope Ljungberg does that. We don't have a proper DMC solution anyway

 

[SingmeasongSong]

I don't think anyone of us is entitled to judge Ljungberg's ability to become the head coach for at least 2 months.

There's no magic button that any coach can press to transform us into a top side for the next game.

Ljungberg could still do better than Rodgers, Arteta, Poch and any of the names mentioned for all we know.

Not saying it is, but certainly that one game hasn't changed anything regarding that matter.

 

[Mark Tobias]

I have not claimed that. But the thing is, Freddie was appointed as interim manager because of his status as a legendary player for the club and not because of his managerial skills. I think it is ridiculous that some think nostalgia is more important than skills, and there is big difference between being a player and manger.

You need a new sport. This one is beyond you..