We’ve had some excellent contributions from bloggers over the past few days.
Our varying views have shown that there’s still a lot of love for Özil although many want him gone, some reckon that Emery isn’t the man for the job where others are ready to give him another year and many, many Arsenal supporters are still hurting from the fact that Arsène Wenger has gone. What ever happens to Özil or Emery, it’s all part of the fabric of our history as were the glorious years of having Arsène Wenger as our manager.
Our feelings about the club and our views about what should or shouldn’t happen can hamper debate and discussion occasionally, but we welcome all views on here and just ask that people try and keep calm. A wise blog owner told me years ago ‘it’s just a blog’ 🙂
There is always so much speculation during the closed season about who will come and who will go. Without actual football to watch sometimes our trips into navel gazing end in tears where in reality this forum is for Arsenal supporters to chat about the club we love in good times and in difficult times.
Yesterday’s comments threw up these conflicting views ………….
This from VP
Emery I thought got worse as the season progressed and fell in a heap. 1 win from finishing in top 4 & CL, and 1 win from finishing with a european trophy. But I’m up for what he can do in his second season (althought wouldve loved Rafa).
And this from Els
I don’t think Emery got worse as the season went on. I think they were burnt out. Emery’s intense training sessions were too much of a culture shock for a lot of players used to a more creative style of play.
I think a lot of players had nothing left to give.
Another season and pre-season in particular will help with that. Also a lot of young legs. Another reason why Emery is a good fit.
I, like many supporters, felt very frustrated that the team weren’t able to get themselves into the top four. And the thought that that lot from down the road were actually better prepared to get themselves into the top four above us quite frankly leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.
I’m looking forward to the new season with hope and expectation, I shall be saying that a lot in the coming weeks.
peachesgooner
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Emery will be gone by christmas not because he isnt a good manager but without £200m to spend we are going nowhere.Just too much deadwood at the club on grossly inflated contracts we cant get rid of.So many average players at the club
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/05/arsenal-wilfried-zaha-ian-wright-crystal-palace
Doesn’t matter how preseason goes, the top 5 will and are buying better players for the areas they need. Arsenal need defenders not wingers. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive plan regarding recruitment….he’s available for this price so we should go for him…..if we sign him we’ll have x amount left for another. That’s not what the big clubs are doing. They’re looking at problem areas and filling them, regardless of the outlay.
Are there really people who are still hurting from the fact that AW has gone, this is not meant as a challenging question, more a simple inquiry, I ask this because I have never read a comment on here from anyone who appears to feel hurt.
I have read a comment from someone being irritated that someone else made reference to Wenger, the irritated person saying that we have moved on and therefore reference to AW is wrong.
Absolute tosh, in my view AW is part of our history and could and should be referred to in the same way as any other manager is from Bertie Mee to George Graham.
And that includes being able to point out things that are felt to have been carried out better by AW than UE is doing now.
That’s almost a Friday rant……….
Worse rumour ever: Lucas Vazquez to join us for 35 Mln…Terrible player. If it were Asensio – yes but Vazquez is terrible.
As of Emery, he will leave at the end of his contract. He will do what he can with what he is given but knowing Emery (he was PSG coach), he would like us to use more width and have more control in the middle of the park so am sure he asked for a DM/CM and wide-players (hence the rumours about Zaha, Carrasco, Perisic, Vazquez and full backs like Tierney and Meunier). However, like many, I think that our priority should be a CB and a DM and then yes a Forward that can play wide (ideally on the right side).
CB – Go for Aldewereid, Bailly, Mina
DM – Go for Gueye, Ndidi or similar player and if you can’t afford them, then try Pulgar, Vidal, Aranguiz or Barella or Capoue or Parejo.
FW – Go for Nicolas Pepe (this would be big money move) – rather Pepe than Zaha for that kind of money. If you can’t afford Pepe, then go for Neres and if you are really cheap, go for Under or Sarr or Perisic or Carrasco.
And then to complement the team, go for Ierney (LB), Valencia (RB), ST (Haller or Mitrovic and if you are very cheap, Llorente)
LB – Tierney – 25 Mln
Aldewereid is out of contract in 12 months so we can negotiate a good deal and I think Bailly as well -> 30 Mln max
RB – Valencia – Free
DM – 30 Mln max
CM/AM- Brahimi – free
FW – Pepe – 75 Mln
ST – Llorente – free
———————————
160 Mln EUR max
Leno – Bello, Aldewereid, Holding, Tierney – AMN, Gueye, Torreira – Pepe, Auba – Laca
Martinez – Valencia, Sokratis, Monreal, Kola – Guendouzi, Chambers, Willock – RN, Iwobi – Llorente
Plus: Martinelli, Nketiah, ESR, Mkhy
but yes we need to move on from AW era .Emery will do as expected, whichi s Top 6 and good cup runs. Don’t expect miracles. He will leave the club at the end of his contract and in good shape in terms of squad balance
It’s Friday, I’m absolutely cream-crackered.. so I’m ready for the weekend – our game v Boreham Wood, Argentina v Chile (I hope Messi FINALLY turns up & puts Sanchez to the sword 😁) England v Sweden (one last time to chuckle at Neville’s barnet & waistcoat 😃) although they’re both play offs – who remembers 3rd & 4th place????!!!
Plus there’s darts on (come on Price 💪)
And I will be religiously checking online for news of us signing Wilf 😉 COYG
Nice article Peaches, thanks for adding my post. That’s something I was thinking from the very start of Emery’s reign. If working players like auld donkeys has no side effects then why don’t all coaches do it. So perhaps I saw what I was looking for in them flagging at the end of the season?
Regarding Wenger, no. I’ll never be over his departure. I love football, but he goes far beyond a football manager for me. He’s a great man. Possibly sometimes at the detriment of the club. But so what. He’s made men into leaders of countries. And overall brought us serious achievements that we can use as ammo in the great game of bragging rights.
Looking back a lot of the mud slung has been proven to be BS, but once slung it can’t be unslung. His achievements far out do the negative aspects of his reign for me massively.
The club has perhaps been held back due to his last few years of “dictatorship”. Perhaps trusting his judgement (as I do) he was in a position to see that the shower of shite in the boardroom could not be trusted to put the correct team together. Nothing that has happened since his leaving has told me that, that is not the case.
It still upsets me when he’s dragged through the mud. We would not be the club we are now without him. A true club legend.
At this point if you are still reading I ask you to bow.
*bow*
LB – I think Els has just answered your question 😉 And if you disagree with the post you are allowed to say so 🙄
Thank you Els 🙂 Loved the man.
Sue – did I just make a comment from you disappear? I was scrolling through my phone and thought there were two comments from you. I do apologise.
LB – I absolutely agree that referencing AW is mandatory as he is part of our history and hell, we have to be able to re-live the Wenger years at every opportunity.
For some, his time was over 4-5 years ago and he outstayed his welcome, for others they just wanted to give him more time to get back to how it was 20 years ago. Well I’d like to look like I did 20 years ago but it’s never going to happen.
All I wanted to say was, enjoy the history, remember the fantastic Wenger years but I don’t think anyone should use them as a stick to beat Emery. Maybe it’s cos I’m a girl 😉
I am in the Els/Peaches camp (Steady!)
AW has gone; brought us joy abounding, then a degree of disappointment, ( with momentary orgasm from Cup Final wins).
He is a large part of my Arsenal experience, but so is Mee, Howe, Rioch ( for bringing us DB10), Neill, and GG. He will never be forgotten or abused by me, but had run his course.
Dick, may not be the best, and may have his hands tied behind his back, but, unlike Chelski supporters, I will give him, our man, some time and refute the criticism based on the past, because the present can be different.
Thanks for the post peaches, wise words indeed.
I may be deluding myself and it appears I’m in the minority on here, but going by UE’s performance last season and taking into account the players we are currently seeking to enlist, I think I can see exactly what he is trying to achieve. If he does manage to build a team with a strong spine that plays attractive attacking football, but defends resolutely, then I’ll be very happy.
Comparisons with AW are spurious any way. Emery is just a coach, AW built a legend, apart from his achievements on the pitch, he drove the club forward with the new training ground and then the new stadium.
Most of that happened pre Kroenke. We can’t change the owner, but he will be the biggest influence on our ability to get right to the very top again.
As for legacy, I think our current issues are more due to Stan And Ivan thsn to Wenger.
Valencia gone to Ecuador so that s out. There is a still Dani Alves on a free.
Aldewereid available for 25 Mln.
Vidal and Naingollan will be available for purchase for less than 20.
Brahimi off to Roma so under would then be available but he is not great.
We signed a young GK
AW controlled everything.
He is now gone and we have 20 people doing his job and the impression is that they collectively and individually do not have a clue.
Should there be any truth in the allegations that we are chasing Zaha and I sincerely hope it is nothing but the figment of the imagination of a few journos and Zaha’s brother, who is looking for a nice fat fee, that would be evidence that what I am saying is true.
The whole world, including my 4-month old granddaughter, know full well that we need new blood in the defence, not attack.
Spend the whole kitty on Zaha and we will continue to leak silly goals.
Certainly agree that Wenger should not be used as a stick to beat Emery.
Can’t think of a comment that I have read where that has happened.
There are a few, like me, who are proud to have stood firm to the end in our support of him but of all the die hards, I can’t think of one who fantasies about having him back.
Am one who is still hurting the fact arsene left, a little part of me wanted emery or an other manager who took over to fail
Cheers Peaches.
Yes, I fantasise about the return of Arsene. Riding back on a white horse and proclaiming his love for me, errr, I mean coming back to manage us.
Arsenes departure has left a big emotional impact. For months now friends have asked asked “whats wrong Terry? You look as though your ex wife has come back” How can I tell them that the loss of a French man has left a void so large that now I can no longer eat French cheese or listen to Sacha Distel.
Stuck in an endless cycle of rumination, i now realise that Arsene is not coming back and that for the moment we are stuck with Emery. Dont get me wrong, i like Emery, hes never cheated on me, but how can you love, errrr, i mean rate a manager who the first thing you hear when waking up in bed next to him is “Goood Afternooon”
I know there is nothing unhealthy about harbouring these feelings. I had a similar experience about 10 years ago when one day whilst shopping in Tesco I observed a lovely women at the Cereal section. Love at first sight was sealed when I noticed she had picked out the Sugar Puffs.
For weeks after I camped outside Tesco in the hope of catching a glimpse of her and during late nights at home fantasised about sprinkling extra sugar on her puffs.
One day I plucked up the courage to approach her. Just before I was about to profess my undying love, I saw she had ignored the Sugar Puffs and opted for Cornflakes. Incredulous I asked “What are you doing? Thats wrong, so I grabbed the Corn Flakes and replaced them with the Sugar Puffs.
At this point she called for security and despite me pleading that i was acting in the name of romance and a more satisfying cereal, I was thrown out. For a long time later I waited outside Tesco for her, but she never returned.
Like the Arsene situation I pondered for months why this happened? It finally dawned on me that she must have been an avoidant personality type and had suffered an injury to her taste buds.
Time to move on.
rc78 we don’t want anymore Chilean at the club grrrr
Pepe of to bayern I think
Valencia already has a club u need to keep up with the transfer Rc78
Sue would or game our show on arsenal player
Why do agent get a fee for transfer shouldn’t it just be between the 2 clubs
That’s very honest of you Fred.
Quite admirable really.
Fred – I had self corrected about Valencia. Pepe s preferences are Psg, Arsenal, Bayern and then Liverpool. Bayern is also after Sane so let us see what they do. They have Coman and Gnabry already so I think they ll either bring Sane or Pepe and they are also keen on Ziyech.
Fred – I d take a Chilean in the team even if Sanchez was not so kind to us at the very end of his tenure with us. He carried us for a few seasons before that
Hiya Fred.. Premier Sports are showing all of our preseason games… which is a bummer – more expense!!
Terry Mancini AKA the honey monster 😂 I won’t be able to look at sugar puffs the same way again 🤣🤣👍
Lol
Ok I thought the bayern mine was already done
I think my dislikes is more for the south American than Chilean, I think with torriera and also they come to England and refuse to learn English
I wouldn’t be able to look at Tesco the same way again since the customer seems to be a bit crazy
“They COME to England”
And not “GO” to England, how does that work Fred?
?
Maybe Arsene is not employed at the moment as he awaits his return to Arsenal, especially as comments predict if Unai will be gone by Christmas.
My main concern with Unai is his away form. Its abysmal. And thats proven time and time again through many different clubs, players tactics and formations. What the feck is going on with him? Is it a disease he has?
His Valencia away form was terrible and NO away wins in his final season.
PSG, with so much money talent and Ligue success yet who can forget Barcelona 6 – 1 PSG
and Arsenal 5 away games at end of season for 1 win.
Terry, not sure if you have them in Tesco but I wouldve thought Fruit Loops would have been your choice. Keep posting:-)
Psg away form with Emery was also quite poor given that we are by far the best team in France. Emery always struggled away it Seems. This is worrying indeed.
I still think we should do the full contract with him because he will try to balance the squad out and we will finish where expected in the top 6.
Who can forget Arsenal losing 8 : 2 – away to Man Utd in 2011?
Terry,
You are a magical, and rather barmy comedian!! 🤪
You could become a professional comedian with the title ‘The Accountant’ —– well that works —– cos you are an accountant — Gawd help your clients!! 🥺
Morning all …
… New post … just a short conversation starter …