By Bulldog Drummond
Managerless Arsenal? Well, to a degree, since the mainstream media and the bloggers have always been against Emery (just as they were against Mr Wenger, but he managed to smile it off), and now the dominant discussion is not about when he is going to be sacked (it is simply assumed that he is) but who will replace him.
So what can we expect in this game
- Booing of the players
- Booing of the manager
- Lunatic referee decisions
- Crazy unexplained VAR decisions against Arsenal
and as a result of those four inputs, a big boost to the visitors.
And yes quite probably we will see all four factors at play, since that is what we have been getting in recent days.
Certainly it is hard to see who is going to be in a fit mental state to play given the way the crowd and media are reacting at the moment. And of course to add to the mix, match fixing can be expected given what Uefa has said about how it has got out of control.
Plus as we have noted, while the Uefa acknowledgement of match fixing being out of control has made the news in much of Europe, it is being totally ignored here, so no matter how blatantly odd any situation is (like the VAR denied goal against Palace) there will be no commentary than anything is wrong. Or any acknowledgement of the warning raised by Uefa last week about match fixing.
Amazingly (and I would not be surprised if you haven’t noticed this because in the light of the negativity of the support and media this is quite amazing), Arsenal are the third most effective home side in the league at the moment.
Home games only…
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 15 |
| 2 | Leicester City | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 13 | 10 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
Away from home Wolverhampton are mid-table…
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 12 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 12 |
| 4 | Leicester City | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | AFC Bournemouth | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | Southampton | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 7 |
| 8 | Crystal Palace | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 7 |
| 9 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
I thus suspect there are three factors affecting Arsenal now:
a) The toxicity of the crowd
b) The match fixing which Uefa has highlighted and our media has chosen to ignore (one may wonder why)
c) The fact that we are (although again the media won’t tell you this) on quite a decent run particularly at home. Here are the home games…
| Date | Game | Res |
Score | Competition |
| 17 Aug 2019 | Arsenal v Burnley | W | 2-1 | Premier League |
| 01 Sep 2019 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
| 22 Sep 2019 | Arsenal v Aston Villa | W | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 24 Sep 2019 | Arsenal v Nottingham Forest | W | 5-0 | League Cup |
| 03 Oct 2019 | Arsenal v Standard Liège | W | 4-0 | Europa League |
| 06 Oct 2019 | Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth | W | 1-0 | Premier League |
| 24 Oct 2019 | Arsenal v Vitória Guimarães | W | 3-2 | Europa League |
| 27 Oct 2019 | Arsenal v Crystal Palace | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
In any normal circumstances this would be something to celebrate, but these days the circumstances surrounding Arsenal, manipulated as the situation is by the media, are never normal. Normality does not apply. This is a totally bonkers world in which Arsenal fans boo Arsenal and expect that to make things better. It is quite beyond me.
As for the team, the Express goes with
Leno
Bellerin Sokratis Luiz Tierney
Guendouzi Torreira
Pepe Ozil Aubameyang
Lacazette
That leaves out Martinelli with four starts and three appearances as a sub in all competitions, and as a result of those games seven goals. The only player with more is Aubameyang.
I think we should ponder the miracle that is Martinelli at this point. He’s moved continents, I am not sure if he speaks much English, he has started four games, and made three sub appearances and scored seven. Those really are some stats.
Even if we win you know it will simply be reported as a case of ‘Papering Over the Cracks’.
There’s no indication that Arsenal’s PL games have attracted the attention of Uefa. In fact there’s no evidence of any mass match fixing other than Uefa’s no proof OTT statement, and I’m not surprised that the UK national press won’t touch this without some credible verification. If it happens anywhere it will be in Turkey, Greece, the Balkan countries and other places of no interest in this country. No bookmakers have reported any suspicious betting patterns re UK top flight games.
Arsenal are not at risk from match fixing.
OT: Spuds 1 – 3 Arsenal U23
Congratulations to the U23 in beating the spuds. We scored 2 in the first half, the spuds got 1 at 76m, and we finished the scoring in extra time.
https://www.arsenal.com/fixture/under-23/2019-Nov-01/tottenham-hotspur-under-23-1-3-under-23-match-report
Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe both got a run out. The report has other good points as well.
OT: Bournemouth v ManU
At 64m, the fouls were 8:7 and the yellows were 3:1. In the 65m. ManU managed to pick up a foul and a yellow. But, the discipline was getting out of line again. Wonder of wonders, step away to look at standings, and ManU get another foul and yellow (Ashley diver gets booked).
I think the best result for us, is for that game to end a draw.
XI: Leno
Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Tierney
Ozil, Guendouzi, Torreira, Ceballos
Lacazette, Aubameyang
Beach: Bellerin, Pepe, Martinez, Willock, Kolasinac, Martinelli, Saka
COYG!
We are 6 minutes in to the game, and looking at 2 different sources of commentary, there is NOTHING!
Really? Nothing happened at all? One team kicked off, and all the players just stood in one place for 5+ minutes?
Commentary seemed to wake about 5 minutes in. First foul of the game to Arsenal, of course. We are such a dirty team. We have probably sent 700 opposition players to hospital so far this season.
COYG!
Well 1-0 Aubemayang
According to the Independent, Wolves scored on 21m and then Arsenal score on 22m (how to Aubameyang!). A different source of commentary said that the game was suddenly “Not Started”. Once they figure out that the has not in fact stopped, they say that Wolves didn’t score and that we did. What on Earth is going on with this screwy commentary?
COYG!
I guess I can’t read. That first goal was in a different game. Sorry. 🙂
COYG!
One of those commentaries again says the game has not started.
I gather a Liverpud went down in the box, and surprisingly VAR called it a dive as well. How many divers does Liverpool have? Mane!
Commentary woke up briefly, and then went back to sleep again.
COYG!
Things woke up for half time. Both sides had 3 shots on target, off target was 1:3. So, again we are getting outshot (but not statistically).
Supposedly Wolves are having more possession, which is unusual for us.
Fouls are 4:5.
And now that I seen the stats, that feed goes to sleep again.
COYG!
Drat, Wolves tied it up. Come on Gunners, get that lead back!
COYG!
Drat, Liverpool tie up their game with 3 minutes left, and the Arsenal game goes AWOL again.
4 minutes of time added on, to get our winning goal. Come on Martinelli and Saka!
COYG!
Unlucky Arsenal – have to learn the hard way. A rough tackle by an opponent is a strong tackle while a softer one by Arsenal is a foul.
A ball to hand in the opponents box is not a penalty unless it is clear & obvious to somebody in the PGMOL group. It is only a handball if it hits an Arsenal hand in an unnatural position according to the anatomical experts that are now broadcasting commentators. The selective awarding of cards & fouls is just so FA and EPL.
I went out to plant trees (now finished) after the game ended. I thought there might be 20 calls to scrap the manager. I’m surprised there are hardly any comments.
Maybe some medja type has a half honest writeup on the game to read?
As a non Brit may I ask the Emirates visitors on matchdays what is the atmosphere at the Emirates? Has it turned toxic again as it was under Wengers last year?
With the blogosphere majority turning against Emery now and Josh Kroenkes project failling apart shall we request Wenger to come back for a year or two to steady the ship?
With VAR in place I have a feeling that the Pigmob will not be able to rob our legitimate calls as effectively as they had been doing with us since 2 decades and we can crawl back in top4 once Wenger is back.
A big no for the odious one btw.
Hi Rosicky, to answer your question – as best I can – I was at the game yesterday in the North Bank Lower. It was very wet and the atmosphere was damp but supportive. There was singing and clapping and generally I thought the NB was behind the team. At the end of the game there was some booing but also lots of applause. So it was mixed, rather like the last games under Wenger. There is a deal of anger however, some aimed at the manager, some at the referees (but that is normal). We can have a go at the PGMOL and we should,, they are clearly corrupt, but they weren’t the reason we were so poor again yesterday. You don’t have to call for the manager’s head to state the obvious: this team is less than the sum of its parts at the moment.
This is a good squad, potentially a great one, but it isn’t playing to its strengths. Özil has the ability to find a forward player in space and release the pass. But who was he going to release yesterday when our our most forward right field player was either Torreira (a defensive midfielder) or Chambers (a centre half playing at RB)? If you don’t play your best team) or even know what your best team is) and if you don’t believe you can win your home games – and set your team up to win those games – then I fear that the writing is on the wall.
There aren’t widespread calls for Emery’s sacking in the ground at the moment but there soon will be. We are closer to the bottom of the league than we are to the top. The teams above us all look much better than we are and we are two victories behind the top 4. Our next game is against Leicester City who are in a rich vein of form (let’s hope they lose it today!) and are never easy to play at their place anyway.
Tony reminds us that sacking a coach rarely if ever does any good. But teams still do it and I doubt Emery will survive to see if he can finish in the top 4 in May, the minimum challenge the club had set him.
Rosicky.
You last paragraph caught my attention. In one of my posts I expressed my excitment about the future and thats because of all the youngsters that have featured for Arsenal recently. I want to see them get stronger, better, fitter and become full internationals while still playing for Arsenal. I know it maybe too much to ask but it would be almost criminal not achieve something with these kids in the future.
The person you rightly object to has no history of youth player development. It will be a pity if the clamour for instant gratification leads us his way.
Tough patches can be overcome by digging in and putting in the hard work. Shortcuts might bring momentary joy but the unintended disastrous consequences will surely follow.
One of your regular no evidence no logic statements Masterstroke.
As I have said before : Wenger never was the problem.
I agree, Walter. What IS the problem then? Obviously we are still being stitched up by the referees, as we have been for many years now. The evidence was all there. Apart from that, how do you see it?
@Rosicky – You don’t seem to have understood VAR. The assistants looking at video are (for EPL) based in Stockley Park (near Heathrow Airport). They are PGMOL officials and do not bring any independence or transparency into the game. In effect they supplement the corruption with pseudo use of technology. This is not dissimilar to the Sky video referral system that was used to punish selected players a few years ago.
If anything they are able to manipulate the results more than before. A very clear piece of evidence is the Socratis goal (3rd for Arsenal v Palace). The foul on Callum Chambers was ignored but his contact with a defender as he fell was used as an excuse to void a perfectly good goal.
The team in my opinion are playing well but require some consistency. The mixing and matching is being highlighted by the media and exploited by PGMOL. Emery is an excellent coach but has to allow his teams some leeway from defence to transition into offence quicker. Our shooting at goal seems to be soft passes rather than bullets. It reduces opportunites into chances which the goalkeeper can save.
What we cannot depend on is fairness of officiating so our game has to be contact free quick passing. Our players get kicked/tackled regularly after the ball has been passed and nothing is ‘seen’ by the PGMOL officials.
The fans that boo are basically fair weather supporters and are not intelligent enough to make their own minds up as to how much our team achieves.
If the club decides to appoint the poisoned one, I will move my support to the womens team only.
OT: Arsenal women away to Brighton Continental Cup
I believe their games kicks off in 1 or 2 hours (2pm London time)
COYWG!
OT: VAR affecting fans
The New Yorker is running an article on how VAR is affecting fans in England. Written by an Arsenal supporter. To me, it says nothing about the quality of the officiating.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-uk/the-disastrous-arrival-of-video-replay-in-english-soccer
OT: Arsenal women
The twit feed has published a starting line up, but as it is an image I can’t see it. There is a tiny bit of text wrt the lineup.
LeahcWilliamson starts JordanNobbs8 returns JillRoordNL
I too was at the game yesterday. Our initial 10-15 minutes is so slow with a lack of intensity that quite frankly you could play a 75 minute match. Surely as per Man City they score early and often, apart from yesterday, and keep up the tempo. We used to press now we don’t. We take ages to okay out from the back and today’s teams are set up defensively so much better. You have to move the ball quickly. Pepe on the bench was a mystery. No mention of him at all?. He only cost 70 odd million!! Guendouzi plays his heart out but soon he will need a break as he wasn’t as effective. Leicester is now a massive game for Emery. He has to get a positive result almost a win at all costs. Otherwise it’s really time to look elsewhere as CL football will be done for another year and Auba and Laca will be gone
OT: Arsenal women
I still can’t find any coverage on the Arsenal women’s game.
—-
There is still medja crap about Mourinho taking over. I will _NOT_ support Mourinho at Arsenal.
OT: Arsenal women
Beth Mead and Kim Little are playing. I gather no score yet.
OT: Arsenal women
There appears to be two different twit feeds, with not quite the same content. This other feed had the substitutes. It seems likely that McCabe is playing, and if Zinsburger is on the beach, Peyraud-Magnin likely started in goal. So, 6 more to track down.
SUBS: Zinsberger, Beattie, Mitchell, Schnaderbeck, Evans, Van de Donk, Miedema
OT: Arsenal women
Veje started, so 5 to go.
OT: Arsenal women
37m gone, still no score. And no more starters mentioned.
COYWG!
OT: Arsenal women
In looking for news, I happened across a CBS Sports article from a bit over 1 month ago.
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/brazilian-womens-team-scores-56-goals-in-90-minutes-more-than-quadruples-u-s-world-cup-win-over-thailand/
It doesn’t look our game today is following along those lines.
COYWG!
OT: Arsenal women
At 80m, the manager made 3 changes, hoping for the win. JillRoordNL ⬅️ Leonie_Maier4 ⬅️ KatrineVeje ➡️ VivianneMiedema ➡️ LisaEvans_17 ➡️ DanielleDonk
COYWG!
OT: Arsenal women
The 90m ends scoreless, going to penalties.
COYWG!
OT: Arsenal women
Arsenal eliminated in penalties.
Nope, not eliminated. Still at group stage. Oops.
Tks Blacksheep for your promot reply about the environment in the sstadium.
I think many people agree that Emery is no upgrade to Wenger as the AAAs and Wobs wanted Anybody other than Wenger will take the the club forward but now we are surely gone backward. Tks to the Wobs at AFTV Twitter Legroan etc.
Menace I know even the current VAR in the Epl is not according to the FIFA rules and many decisions on VAR are still biased but for how long the pigmob will survive this blatant cheating which is continuing.
I don’t think Emery is taking Arsenal backwards. The team need a little help from the fans rather than the negatively promoted crap that the media seem to promote.
Arsenal are a quality side playing quality football albeit without sufficient aggression. The soft passing into the net needs addressing and some consistency of team selection will help.
VAR is an excuse for PGMOL to control the league and its table. This is being shown up but the media is still blindly following the money & losing the game.