Life After Emery Begins

[Riou]

This midfield would get killed by its lack of athleticism imo.
We can try it but I don't have too many hopes.

Imo we should try Chambers/Luiz one day in midfield. It's far from being ideal, but we don't have anybody else in the squad who could bring some raw power.
And try to get at least a competent DM who is an above athlete player.

Luiz actually looked pretty good there in that Europa match before he got injured, but yeah the team we have is all over the place, in midfield especially...we have neither great technical, or great physical players in there these days...very poor recruitment from summer 2015 on really.

 

[samshere]

I can’t see Rodgers leaving Leicester at this moment, even if £15m is offered. Leicester are doing incredibly well and they’re bound to finish ahead of us. Maybe he moves on in the summer, but certainly not mid season.

I mean, if we manage to lure Rodgers, then we might possibly disrupt their season and finish ahead of them. Two birds with one stone imo.

 

[Joestlaachmkr]

Don't get me wrong, United are still a big club, but they have massive problems which may be too daunting for Poch.

I agree that Man Utd are still a big club and that they currently have massive problems. But the same could said about us and i dont think we would be any more attractive for top manager than what United is.

 

[Beast Incarnate]

Good for him then. We can always hire him to be our manager after he gets sacked by City. Going by how modern football works there's no way he will last more than 4 seasons as City manager anyway.

Good point.

 

[scytheavatar]

Iwobi was trash for us tbh, don't think his loss is anything to worry about.

Mkhi wasn't the player he was at previous clubs, not sure he would be giving us an awful lot this year.

We basically paid 70 million to get a Pepe to be a downgraded version of Iwobi......... Iwobi was a major part of Emery's plans last season. So too was Mkhi. Why is it that both Ljungberg and Emery don't want to play the Auba/Laca/Pepe front 3 fans are crying out for? Because it's too attacking and not enough workrate up front to stretch defenses.

 

[OnlyOne]

We basically paid 70 million to get a Pepe to be a downgraded version of Iwobi......... Iwobi was a major part of Emery's plans last season. So too was Mkhi. Why is it that both Ljungberg and Emery don't want to play the Auba/Laca/Pepe front 3 fans are crying out for? Because it's too attacking and not enough workrate up front to stretch defenses.

Rubbish post.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

The standings so far in the AM Manager popularity contest

1. Pochettino - 68.1%

2. Brendan Rodgers - 41.6%

3. Mikel Arteta - 34.3%

4. Max Allegri - 19.9%

5. Freddie Ljungberg - 18.7%

6. Nuno Espirito Santo - 10.2%

The rest in single digits. AM hath spoken.

 

[rich 1990]

Thos multiple option polls are stupid, btw. We're not hiring more than manager therefore we should not get more then one vote.

 

[Gunner D]

And yet during this unbeaten run, by all metrics, we were overperforming, we were conceding a lot of shots and didn't create enough.

Ultimately, it has caught us by the end of the season.

It's not just about having a powerful DM that would bring balance to the squad. We just have too many players that are not fit (some of them are still young and can develop and get stronger) to match the PL intensity.

We have by far the weakest midfielders in the league on pure athleticism.

Any above average CM tears us apart and we have no answer to it.

At the end of the day, you can't have a decent midfield in England with only players like Özil Ceballos Guendouzi Torreira Xhaka Willock. They're all under average athletes.

We can't match the intensity of the PL anymore and it's really hurting us.

Even our best period during the decade we were much stronger on pure athleticism, Coquelin had a really positive impact when he came back from Charlton. Song and Diaby even though they had their flaws had a positive impact too. When Diaby took the ball and started going there weren't many players who were able to stop him. Ramsey had an incredible engine. Hell even Rosicky when fit had a great engine too.

I won't even talk about the invincible era when we had the perfect mix of raw strengh/speed/raw talent. There was simply no answer for a player like Vieira.

We just have too many static/weak players. We can't win a header to save our lives in midfield they get bullied every single time.

It's not a coincidence if the Liverpool team Klopp has built is full of pure physical monsters.
That's why his team is Pep's Kryptonite, because even City can't match their athleticism. They've found the perfect balance between talent & strength.

And if you look at the most successful team in the PL of the decade, they all had much better athletes than us, right now.

Top drawer posting mate.

 

[mpower2540]

We basically paid 70 million to get a Pepe to be a downgraded version of Iwobi......... Iwobi was a major part of Emery's plans last season. So too was Mkhi. Why is it that both Ljungberg and Emery don't want to play the Auba/Laca/Pepe front 3 fans are crying out for? Because it's too attacking and not enough workrate up front to stretch defenses.

This idea that Pepe is a downgraded version of Iwobi is ridiculously premature. Pepe has started 8 games is it for us? He’s actually been better than people give him credit for in those games. His end product has been shocking but I don’t remember being impressed with Iwobi in this regard either plus he had 3 and a half seasons with us.

You make a good point that we’ve gotten rid of some players that would beef the squad up and would serve a purpose right now but attacking Pepe is just bizarre to me. He is the future of our attack right now and he needs to be given an opportunity on a consistent basis to see whether he’s up to the job.

 

[Makingtrax]

If you go back there were all sorts of positive posts about them...

Must my memory bro. Will have to get one of those brain training games on my phone.

 

[rich 1990]

Must my memory bro. Will have to get one of those brain training games on my phone.

Bit pointless. Too much screen time kills your brain and concentration levels. For instance, i'm on my laptop and......




.

 

[pikey2000]

This idea that Pepe is a downgraded version of Iwobi is ridiculously premature. Pepe has started 8 games is it for us? He’s actually been better than people give him credit for in those games. His end product has been shocking but I don’t remember being impressed with Iwobi in this regard either plus he had 3 and a half seasons with us.

You make a good point that we’ve gotten rid of some players that would beef the squad up and would serve a purpose right now but attacking Pepe is just bizarre to me. He is the future of our attack right now and he needs to be given an opportunity on a consistent basis to see whether he’s up to the job.

Agree, for me Pepe has a higher ceiling to Iwobi he just needs time, Iwobi couldn't dream of hitting the free kicks Pepe hit for us, Pepe is also quicker and his dribbling is superior, for me all he needs is a little more composure to pick the right end product, all he needs is time.

As for not playing him, it's not uncommon to take someone out of the spotlight for a while when the pressure is getting intense, especially at his age, confident he will come back and we I'll see auba, pepe, Özil and martinelli/nelson/sake wide left before long.

 

[14Henry]

Oh yeah, I totally agree - this has been obvious for many years and we've been close to a couple of potential signings to fix the main issue but then a sexier option comes up (Özil, Sanchez, Auba) and the suckers get hooked and the fans forget the main issue due to the excitement.

The problem is we sign player who are commonly known that generally no other big club wants to make fans think we are a big club.

The skill is finding unknown players and them having more levels.

Arsenal along with United are too up their own assess to shop in poundland and find a bargain.

Who decided Mustafi was worth 35m and Xhaka the same when players like Ndidi and Mahrez and co going cheap. We seem to be skipping a level to scout at where there are gems.

 

[tap-in]

Good to see Poch is way ahead of everyone else. I feel we have to get him soon or it wont happen. In the summer he will have better offers, so its down to how much he likes the idea of managing us, and whether he prefers to go abroad. I think he would be perfect for us, we'll see!

 

[#254]

And yet during this unbeaten run, by all metrics, we were overperforming, we were conceding a lot of shots and didn't create enough.

Ultimately, it has caught us by the end of the season.

It's not just about having a powerful DM that would bring balance to the squad. We just have too many players that are not fit (some of them are still young and can develop and get stronger) to match the PL intensity.

We have by far the weakest midfielders in the league on pure athleticism.

Any above average CM tears us apart and we have no answer to it.

At the end of the day, you can't have a decent midfield in England with only players like Özil Ceballos Guendouzi Torreira Xhaka Willock. They're all under average athletes.

We can't match the intensity of the PL anymore and it's really hurting us.

Even our best period during the decade we were much stronger on pure athleticism, Coquelin had a really positive impact when he came back from Charlton. Song and Diaby even though they had their flaws had a positive impact too. When Diaby took the ball and started going there weren't many players who were able to stop him. Ramsey had an incredible engine. Hell even Rosicky when fit had a great engine too.

I won't even talk about the invincible era when we had the perfect mix of raw strengh/speed/raw talent. There was simply no answer for a player like Vieira.

We just have too many static/weak players. We can't win a header to save our lives in midfield they get bullied every single time.

It's not a coincidence if the Liverpool team Klopp has built is full of pure physical monsters.
That's why his team is Pep's Kryptonite, because even City can't match their athleticism. They've found the perfect balance between talent & strength.

And if you look at the most successful team in the PL of the decade, they all had much better athletes than us, right now.

Couldn't agree more. MF is definitely our kryptonite right now. A fit Song, Diaby, Fabregas and Rosicky would take this team levels up.

I don't know so much but think Guen should only be doing cameos in the PL and getting rid of Rambo was quite dumb imo. He could have been our captain right now and we'd only be looking to fill in two positions as Willock would have been his understudy. Right now we probably should buy a whole midfield and only keep Guen and Willock. I'd like us to do a Chelseaesq building of the squad only that we mix it up with experience.

 

[Riou]

All of us at @OnlyOne until Arsenal appoint Poch.

 

[Predicates]

And we don't?

If anything, we're even worse. Auba & Leno are the only 2 propping up this side on opposite ends of the field. Everything in the middle requires either polishing or replacing.

Let's not forget United can throw money at the problem till the cows go to pilgrimage on their horns whilst we're not exactly flush with cash. He would be mad to come to us over them but I'm all for it

I don't think are problems are as severe as United's, no. We're obviously lacking in some departments and our recruitment has been questionable, but we still have a better team. It's worth remembering that since Ferguson left they've only finished above us one time out of six.

We also have a better - not great, but better - hierarchy than United. Raul was technical director at Barca for many years so he knows the game well, while Edu had a solid footballing career and was director of football for Corinthians. In comparison, United have only Ed Woodward to coordinate football matters, and he has routinely shown a lack of foresight in the transfer market and in managerial changes.

Ultimately, if his decision is truly between United and Arsenal, then it comes down to how both parties they can sell their 'project' to Poch. Given the gulf in experience and football knowledge between Woodward, on the one hand, and Raul/Edu on the other, it wouldn't surprise me if we would be more adept at persuading Poch to join.

 

[Flying Okapis]

The problem is we sign player who are commonly known that generally no other big club wants to make fans think we are a big club.

The skill is finding unknown players and them having more levels.

Arsenal along with United are too up their own assess to shop in poundland and find a bargain.

Who decided Mustafi was worth 35m and Xhaka the same when players like Ndidi and Mahrez and co going cheap. We seem to be skipping a level to scout at where there are gems.

Daniel James was a good signing to be fair

 

[14Henry]

Daniel James was a good signing to be fair

Yeah to be fair he has been quite good. Worth the 11m but them signings are few and far between. Theres bound to be 100 players worldwide under 15m better than Fred.

Whoever is scouting Leciesters players has to have some eye. You could say easily 10 signings over the last 3 or 4 years have been good. There have been bad ones too like Slimani but we seem to make more bad ones than good ones.

And the bad ones they make they sell on and make something back. We can't give ours away