Mixed fortunes for Arsenal in Europa League outing gives Emery food for thought

23-09-2018

For Arsenal fans it was a familiar story, for Unai Emery, it was the opposite. He should have known but perhaps he wore an optimistic hat or a lucky tie, thinking that they could help him avoid the deficiencies of previous Arsenal teams in the same competition.

In attack Arsenal stuck to the script, delivering goals aplenty but in defence, they went into meltdown without good cause. They were guilty of panic, ineptitude and shoddy defending worthy of an award. It was a case of fans hiding behind their hands, in both disbelief and embarrassment, it was hard to tell which.

The concern is that Vorskla Poltava expected to get beaten quite heavily but they did enough to get the alarm bells ringing at the end by claiming two goals that they didn’t deserve. Arsenal were in the generous mood and a clean sheet these days is as rare as a José Mourinho smile.

It was a ponderous and insipid performance at times and the fans had to find other avenues of entertainment which included taking selfies with former Gunner Sol Campbell who was a welcome visitor. Well, you have to be creative and inventive at Arsenal matches to get through a full 90 minutes these days.

Vorskla Poltava had a game plan which included kicking anything that moved, excluding the ball and frustrating the opposition at every opportunity. One wondered if an official had informed them that they would get extra points for staying in their own half, because they seemed more than happy to spend the majority of the contest there, clogging up the supply lines.

They seemed quite familiar with the negative aspects of the game and quickly припаркував автобус (parked the bus) but the Gunners got the break they needed when Mkhitaryan pounced on a stray ball. Just outside the Arsenal box. He sprinted upfield and whipped the ball out to the left for Iwobi. Aubameyang was on high alert on the right and was dutifully picked out for a dramatic sliding finish.

There was a suggestion that he called for the ball in Ukrainian and that the ball was subsequently left for him to create the first goal. If so, it’s highly amusing and shows a great deal of naivety in the opposition. It had been a drab first half but the goal managed to put a smile on the fans faces which could now be reflected in further Sol Campbell snaps.

Welbeck added to the scoreline in the 48th minute. Aubameyang added his second after 56 and Ozil, in his cameo appearances rounded things off (77) and at that point, it looked like a satisfying nights work. Then a mistake by Lichtsteiner got Vorskla Poltava off the mark through Chesnakov and with the nerves jangling, Sharper added a second. On this evidence, neither Lichtsteiner or Leno are about to push Bellerin or Cech for a starting slot, on the other hand, Lucas Torreira is becoming a must-have player.

Every game seems to indicate what a sensational addition this young guy is going to be for Arsenal. Direct, solid, determined and attack-minded, seem to be a constant feature of the players game and he will only get better which is an exciting prospect. If he is only giving us half of what he is capable of then Arsenal may be set to mount a serious challenge next season after Emery raids the transfer market at the next available opportunity.

If only everyone showed the same attributes and burning desire, then Arsenal would be higher in the premiership than their current position. Torreira and Aubameyang must occasionally look around at teammates wondering how they made the first team as much as the fans. Elneny and Torreira gave Arsenal the stability to allow Arsenal to press forward and Mkhitaryan was the main beneficiary in this process by allowing him creative freedom.

So, Arsenal move on to the next game at Everton, with Emery still none the wiser what his best team is. Fitting the likes of Ramsey, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan and Ozil into the middle is a nightmare at present because the various permutations just don’t seem to work.

It appears to me that Arsenal only sporadically find a gear through individuals at present and not collectively. If they can all start to fire at the same time, the season may start to look encouraging. On reflection, Mkhitaryan and Iwobi did themselves no harm in spells but it’s the defence that causes the pulse to race. Until that is resolved, Emery has little chance of adding to his Europa league tally.

Unai Emery rings in Arsenal changes ahead of Europa League contest

The Long Shadow

19-09-2018

Arsenal take on Vorskla Poltava for the first time in their history in the Europa League, with not much known about their Ukrainian opposition.

They finished third in the Ukrainian Premier League and are currently in competition with a host of other equally unpronounceable teams such as Karpty, Zorya and Vorskia but strangely enough, they are in the same league as Arsenal Kyiv.

Like Wenger before him, Emery sees this as an opportunity to experiment with his side, so those that have missed the cut in the last few months will get their opportunity.

He must feel that a win is almost inevitable because the dip in quality merits starts for Danny Welbeck, Rob Holding, Bernd Leno, Alex Iwobi and Henrik Mkhitaryan. Apart from the last two on the list, the others have much to prove and although Welbeck is persistent and eager, he just lacks quality in the one area he is employed to do so -in front of goal.

The writings on the wall here for Emery, only a resounding spanking will do, anything else and Arsenal will struggle in the second best tournament in European club football.
As we saw last season, the competition only becomes relevant once the Champions league trap door opens for those that failed spectacularly in the Champions League.

On the other hand, Emery has been successful in this competition before and knows exactly what it takes to get the job done. Unlike Wenger before him, who became the near man in both competitions.

This is a banana skin of epic proportions which will vindicate the team selection or lead to much scratching of a shamefully hidden head. One suspects that Emery will find a way to navigate past Vorskla Poltava, especially at home, so that he can look forward to the game with Qarabağ FK.

Indeed, another awesome sounding team of plumbers, car mechanics and kitchen fitters. It wasn’t long ago we faced the prospect of playing Barcelona, Real Madrid or Juventus but these ties are far too good to turn down. Yes, I’m being sarcastic but let’s hope this potential firecracker doesn’t blow up in all our faces.

Arsenal on alert to complete deal for £30m star, Manchester United defender wants move

George

19-09-2018

It is know being widely reported that Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is looking for a move away from Old Trafford in the upcoming January transfer window, it looks as if Arsenal could be moving for the player.

Although the 24-year-old was a big money transfer at £30m in 2016, it appears the often temperamental Mourinho is blaming the defender for the Red Devil’s now-infamous loss at Brighton earlier in the season, with Bailly’s minutes dropping dramatically in the games after Brighton.

The Mirror are reporting that both Arsenal and their North London rivals Tottenham are monitoring the situation and potentially lining up bids to snatch the player away in January.

Bailly has been a key player for the Manchester side since he joined in 2016, becoming one of the first names on the team sheet at the Northern giants. Despite this consistent success, in more recent times, the player has had a few games involving high-profile mistakes, leaving United fans to doubt the young player.

Although Spurs will provide some serious competition if the Gunners are to move for the player, with an expensive stadium construction in progress, it looks like Arsenal would be able to outbid their rivals on this occasion.

One of Unai Emery’s main priorities since joining Arsenal at the end of last season has been to radically improve the defensive line after a shocking season which left Arsenal conceding 51 goals, more than any other top 6 clubs.

Since his appointment, the Spanish manager has brought in ]center back Sokratis, defensive midfielder Lucas Torreira and young midfielder Matteo Guendouzi to solidify the back, although these signings have been viewed as successful, in the first few games of the season.

The North London side have still shown some weakness in defence, meaning the purchase of Eric Bailly could be vital to ensuring a champions league finish at the end of the 18/19 season.

Arsenal will battle Real Madrid to complete transfer deal for Mexico Star

Nithyanand

18-09-2018

When it comes to the transfer window, there is no such thing as an end as the cycle keeps going on and on. Just because the window is closed, it does not mean that a club will stop getting linked to players.

This is the case with Arsenal as well as they are no strangers to being linked to a plethora of players even when the transfer window is shut.

One such player would be the Mexican star Hector Herrera who plays for FC Porto in the Portuguese league and if reports in Mirror are to be believed, the Gunners will be up against Real Madrid to secure his signing.

Herrera who has played under the new Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui is said to be one of the players that the Spanish club are keen on adding to their side.

While that may become a factor that is in favor of Real Madrid, there are other clubs interested in him as well. And right in that mix are the Gunners who are keen on adding him to their ranks.

Anyone who does manage to get Herrera will find that they are getting a player who is always committed to the cause and ready to give it his all. Those are qualities that Arsenal will certainly do well to get as there are not too many players of that sort at the club.

Herrera is out of contract at the end of the current season so that is something that the clubs interested in him should think about. If they want, they can probably get him in January for a price that is very low as Porto will be forced into playing their hand.

If the Gunners do manage to pull this signing off, it is sure to be an interesting one as not many people would have seen it coming. The news of Arsenal’s interest should make the fans feel happy as they may be getting a player that is talented and not to mention cheap, and that is a great combination.

Ivan Gazidis to join Milan: Arsenal chief executive will not be forgotten for all the wrong reasons

admin

18-09-2018

Despite all the huffing and puffing from Arsenal football club to dispel rumours of CEO’s departure to AC Milan, it has now been confirmed. The worst kept secret in football circles is now out in the open and the club have restructured accordingly. From December 1st, the clubs Head of football relations Raul Sanllehi will take up his new role as head of football whilst Vinai Venkatesham will become the clubs managing director.

Venkatesham is another relatively fresh name to the majority of Arsenal fans but he has been with the club since 2014. He was one of the London 2012 Organising Committee which raised 2 billion of private finance to fund the Games via a series of lucrative sponsorship deals. AC Milan’s pursuit of Gazidis was first discussed back in July 2018 but suggestions were met with straight denials, yet it seemed to many, that it was just a matter of time before he booked the flight.

Quite why Gazidis has chosen to go is the subject of conjecture because he appeared to in the position he had long craved. Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, Gazidis said of his departure:

“Although it is very hard to do – the hardest decision of my life – I believe that, after 10 years, it is the right time for me to step aside to allow new leadership, energy and ideas to take the club forward into this exciting new era. I believe in the positive force of change, both for me and for the club. I am excited to see what the future holds for this great club and I am energised by a new personal challenge with AC Milan.”

Arsenal fans won’t exactly be left weeping at the decision and must be praying now that Stan Kroenke follows suit. Gazidis never really established an affinity with the fans at any level and appeared like a cross between an authoritarian headmaster and a chief accountant. When he spoke, it was passionless and matter of fact but he was the ideal man to translate Stan Kroenke’s plans and push Arsenal into their new financial blueprint of lucrative opportunity and sponsorship.

Kroenke’s son Josh was left to heap the praise on Gazidis, which is a bit like Jesus letting a disciple give a sermon. Quite why Stan decided not to praise his poodle is a mystery.
In place of the absent owner, Josh said:

“It is has been a pleasure working with Ivan. We will miss his wisdom, insight and energy he bought to our club on a daily basis over the past decade.”

The deal which takes Gazidis to Milan is said to eclipse his current income of £2.6 Million with the added incentive of an equity share. The man tasked with bringing in a new manager and leading Arsenal forward into a new era has upped anchor and set sail for money, which isn’t exactly a major shock. The circumstances behind the decision are intriguing and it appears to be more than a coincidence since the American owner recently gobbled up the shares of Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov.

In July Arsenal insisted that their chief executive was “fully committed” to the club and “working hard in Singapore”, yet the rumours wouldn’t go away with fans labeling him ‘ A coward’ for even contemplating leaving the club whilst in its transitional state.

After Wenger departed after 22 years, Gazidis basked in the limelight, indicating that he was now the public face of Arsenal and was there for the long haul. When he arrived at Arsenal in 2009, his role was to secure sponsorship. Since then he has occasionally been used as a fire blanket by the club in troubled times and if anything he will be remembered as the man in charge of the post-Wenger period.

He has overseen the move from the Highbury to the Emirates, a number of high profile signings, the departures of Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas and the end of any realistic chances of winning the premiership. Unfair? Not at all. He was a phantom in a suit, someone adept at balancing the accounts but alien to the desires of the fans. He was the epitome of a new breed inhabiting a number of high profile clubs. He has the business acumen but displays no passion.

His best achievement was securing the services of Sven Mislintat and his worst was presiding over the club without being able to make it a credible challenger for the top prizes. Contract fiasco ’s, indecisive management and the inability to display sound judgment made him a joke figure to supporters but there’s no denying that he helped to make Arsenal financially sound. His most embarrassing period was issuing Arsene Wenger with a new contract only to terminate it one season in.

Yet, no one should really be surprised Gazidis has decided to go. For all his faults, he is astute enough to know that the structure of the personal empire he was building for himself inside Arsenal was vulnerable once Kroenke’s son became more involved. One can only surmise that the parameters of his role would either become significantly reduced or obsolete and that he jumped before being pushed. It’s almost poetic justice and a perfect way for him to leave the club almost entirely as he found it with its future still uncertain and its direction unclear. Milan offered a lucrative deal and Gazidis took about thirty seconds to mull it over before saying yes. Judas Iscariot has nothing on this guy. He’s gone and will not be forgotten for all the wrong reasons.

Lucas Torriera makes all the difference as confused Arsenal narrowly take all 3 points

The Long Shadow

16-09-2018

I have always held Rafa Benítez in high regard and when Arsenal were looking for a new manager, Benitez came to my mind. Vastly experienced and incredibly underrated, Benitez has performed miracles at Newcastle with little or no help from the owner, Mike Ashley.

Last season Benitez managed to guide Newcastle to a memorable win over the Gunners with a creative and committed performance that left Arsenal fans slightly embarrassed.
He may not have the best players but he can bring out the best from the existing players.

Arsenal have no such problems, their pay scale is through the roof and they have the potential, if not the desire, to compete financially with any club, for any player. They would have been in an even stronger position if former shareholder Alisher Usmanov had been invited onto the board but that was never going to happen.

The clash of the ‘haves and have-nots’ took place on Saturday and again, it was the savvy performance of Benitez’s Newcastle that shone brightly, particularly in the first half. They had possession, lots of it, but as we know only too well, you don’t win games by keeping the ball until such time that fishes sprout legs.

Arsenal looked very disjointed and Cech and Mustafi managed to make playing out from the back look extremely complicated. You would have thought someone had asked the pair to split an atom with a bread knife because neither looked comfortable. Mustafi passed back to Cech early on and instead of simply returning the pass, Cech sliced it out for a corner, not for the first time this season.

The Benitez game plan was to press a creaky Arsenal back four and it so nearly paid off. Not long after the first gaffe, Mustafi contributed to the Newcastle cause, by mistiming an interception by the length of a small family car. Newcastle surged forward sensing first blood but Sokratis was unusually quick off the blocks to snuff out the opportunity.

With the system Unai Emery is employing at present, he needs to further find a solution to the ongoing riddle rather quickly and Torreira could be just the man. After an awkward first 45, Torreira replaced Guendouzi and Arsenal looked a different side. My least favourite player, Granit Xhaka, started looking like a creative midfielder, whilst Torreira fizzed and bubbled with quick incisive passes and speed of thought.

His pass to Lacazette produced a free kick as the Arsenal forward was unceremoniously dumped on to the turf. Xhaka took the resulting kick and thumped it over the wall into the top right corner. The Swiss midfielder wasn’t finished there, it was his cross into the box that scrambled the Newcastle defence. Lacazette, who was Arsenal’s most obvious threat, connected perfectly and the resulting block spun into the path of Mesut Ozil.

The German, who always seems to have time on his hands in any given situation, calmly placed it past the sprawling Dubravka and absent Newcastle defence. Torreira caught the eye with his urgency and speed, constantly pushing forward and making simple, direct and penetrative passes to the feet of his teammates. Xhaka was presented with a free pass by the Uruguayan’s presence, to go higher up the pitch and worry less about his alien holding midfielder role.

Even though I like Guendouzi, he may have to sit out the next game to see if Xhaka and Torreira can perform together, if so, Lacazette and Aubameyang may feel Christmas has come early. Aubameyang seemed strangely off his game on occasion, he could have added a glossy and flattering third, but instead saw his attempt spin tamely away from the far post into no man’s land.

Newcastle scored through Ciaran Clark in the 90th minute but they were missing the creative play of Jonjo Shelvey who only made the bench and they lacked the presence of quality striker to get on the end of Matt Ritchie’s killer crosses. If only Ashley had stopped worrying about selling the club and backed Benitez with cash, perhaps they wouldn’t be looking down the barrel of a gun so early in the season. If they are relegated, it would cost them more than a decent stream of revenue from televised games, it may cost them a manager.

Surely Benitez won’t suffer another season in the championship with an owner that has plenty of surplus cash but no ambition. As for Arsenal, there is no evidence of them either getting back into the top four or challenging for the title. If Emery persists with his playing philosophy, then he needs to incorporate players that can build bridges between the defence, midfield and attack. Lucas Torreira is that man. The majority of fans, including myself, have been begging for the player to start. Perhaps now, he will be given the chance to show his full array of talents.

Arsenal make contact with representatives to agree transfer deal for £30m forward

Nithyanand

16-09-2018

One of the things that Unai Emery would like to do with his Arsenal team is to put his stamp on it. He is slowly doing this by implementing a different style of play and that is taking shape every week.

The other aspect of this is to bring in players that are more suited to his way of playing. And as per reports in Le10 Sport, the Gunners have identified one of them in the form of Lille forward Nicolas Pepe and have already made contact with representatives.

The striker who is 23 years old and has already played for his national side has piqued the curiosity of Emery and his scouts. Pepe has started the season on fire and he is showing why a club such as Arsenal would be interested in him.

While the interest in Pepe is at an early stage, there is one factor that might put the deal in jeopardy and that would be the price. Lille are said to be wanting something in the region of £30m and the Gunners would definitely like to pay less than that.

Though to be honest, that is the norm for most of the deals that seem to be happening at the moment. But, if Arsenal are able to get him for a price that is lower than that, it will be kind of a coup for the club.

If Pepe does indeed come to the Emirates, it will be interesting to see if anyone does depart the club as there may be an overload of forwards within the squad. This is not going to be something that Emery will want to see and there may be measures taken to prevent that from happening.

After a rough start, Arsenal have gotten back on track and are on a winning streak that everyone associated with the club hopes will continue for a long time.

And by getting players such as Pepe to the club, the team will be bolstered in their chances to return to the Champions League.

Arsenal interested in signing 28-year-old Mexican midfielder on a free transfer

Nithyanand

16-09-2018

The new season has only just begun but the transfer window does not seem to take a rest. And with a club like Arsenal, getting linked to players is something that everyone associated with the club has become used to.

There seems to be another player added to that long list of targets in the form of Mexican midfielder Hector Herrera(as per Corriere Dello Sport) who plays for the Portuguese club Porto and is also being targeted by the likes of Barcelona, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain.

Herrera, who plays mostly as a defensive midfielder has his contract expiring at the end of the season. This has made getting his signature that much more of an attraction.

Despite the interest of the Gunners in the 28-year-old, they do not seem to be the ones who are the favorites to get the Mexican. That would have to be the Italian giants Roma who have been one of the busiest teams in all of Europe.

They are looking to jump ahead of the queue by getting their man in the January transfer window which will be a better option for the Portuguese side.

Ever since his move to Portugal in the summer of 2013, he has been one of the most impressive performers for Porto. This has extended to the national team as well where he has shown how good he can be.

One of the biggest reasons for Herrera being targeted by clubs such as Arsenal is the way in which he can combine both attack and defense in his game. He is someone who can break up play and just as easily start an attack as he has an impressive passing range.

When you look at the squad that the Gunners have at the moment, there does not seem to be a place for another player who is going to slot into that defensive midfield role.

But, there is no such thing as too much depth and getting someone like Herrera will do the team a world of good.

Injury boost for Arsenal, Unai Emery offers update ahead of Newcastle game

Nithyanand

15-09-2018

Now that the International break is over, the focus will shift towards the club matches and that is a good sign for fans of the Gunners.

Arsenal are going up against Newcastle United and it will be interesting to see what kind of team Unai Emery decides to put out and his comments seem to be an indication of what he has in mind.

The makeup of the team will be determined by the fitness levels of the players who have taken part in the international break. And keeping that in mind, the press conference that Emery gave before the match was going to give us some clues as to who will and will not play.

When speaking to the Arsenal website, he was asked about a few players and this is what he had to say:

“Alex Iwobi
Missed Cardiff City (a) with illness. Back in full training.

Sead Kolasinac
Left knee injury. Progressing well and now expected to return to full training in early October (initially aiming to return during the month of October).

Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Small fracture to left fibula. Progressing well and now expected to return to full training in early October (initially aiming to return to training in November).

Carl Jenkinson
Significant sprain to right ankle. Aiming to return to training in October/November.

Laurent Koscielny
Right Achilles tendon repair. Started working outside. Aiming to return to full training in November.”

The problem in the team selection is really in the defense as the Gunners are missing out on a few key players. This kind of a situation is really bad when you think of the number of competitions in which the team is taking part.

When Emery took over the Gunners, sorting out the defense was and is one of the biggest problems that he had to face. While there have been some signings made to rectify that issue, the results are not as visible as the fans would like them to be.

It is clear that the Spaniard has a vision for the club but for that vision to become a reality, it is going to take some time. Having a fully fit team will certainly go some way in helping him establish his vision at the club.

Arsenal are in a position that they have not been in a long time as they are facing a real fight to be back in the Champions League. If they are to achieve that, then all the players need to fight together as a team and only then, can any kind of success be achieved.

4-3-2-1: Strongest Predicted Arsenal XI to face Newcastle United, Lucas Torreira starts

Sri Aswin

13-09-2018

Arsenal will be aiming to continue on their recent winning streak when they take on Newcastle United on the road this weekend. Unai Emery’s side made a poor start to the season with back-to-back losses to Manchester City and Chelsea but there has since been a change in momentum with hard-fought triumphs over West Ham United and Cardiff City.

Formation: 4-3-2-1

Predicted Lineup:

Petr Cech has been the undisputed choice between the sticks since the start of the season and that is highly unlikely to change for the weekend. The veteran has looked uncomfortable with the ball at his feet at regular intervals but Unai Emery is expected to persist with the shot-stopper this weekend.

At the back, no changes are likely from the previous game at Cardiff and this should witness Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal feature on the right and left side of the defence with Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos making up the heart of the backline.

Onto the midfield, Mateo Guendouzi has unquestionably been one of the finds of the season but the Frenchman could make way for Lucas Torreira this weekend with the Uruguay already proving a better option in laying through balls for the attackers.

Torreira had a minor injury scare on international duty but he appears fine to feature on Saturday after taking part in training earlier in the week. Alongside Torreira, we are expecting Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey to keep their positions with the latter operating in an advanced midfield role among the trio.

Aside from this, Emery may not have any selection headache with Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang likely to slot into the right and left side of the attack to permit Alexandre Lacazette to lead the line for the second-straight game.

Predicted Lineup: Petr Cech, Hector Bellerin, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Nacho Monreal, Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette.

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