I've been on vacation and missed the first two games, which means they don't count, right?
After our unfortunate failure to snatch a point or three at the Bridge, I'm going to take the three points earned today as our due. It could have been very different had the Hammers taken their chances. On the other hand, Fabianski (I always liked him and wish he were still with us) saved a goal or two with some stellar reflex saves. We were on top most of the game.
Both defenses looked pretty bad, I thought. I was screaming at the TV as West Ham players simply dribbled 40 yards upfield without a challenge. To be fair, Emery's system has Bellerin (and sometimes Monreal) way out of position when we lose the ball, Mkhi wasn't covering well, Xhaka is next to useless in these situations, and I certainly don't want Mustafi or Sokratis diving in as the last defender. The Hammers could have had five or six, if they finished a whole lot better than they seem capable of. West Ham's defenders just looked befuddled, as the ten men they kept behind the ball seemed unable to prevent several great opportunities that might have put this game out of sight with a half hour to spare. Lukas bailed them out (and Cech had a very good game too).
Jack's return to the Emirates did not result in anything that looked like a statement, unless it was "Yeah, this really is what I've become." Lucas Perez had his chance to put a dagger in our hearts but his attempted cross was way too far in front of the shadow-of-his-former-self Chicharito.
I was a bit surprised it was Guendouzi making way for Torreira, but the tactical move proved to be the right one. Laca also was a shot in the arm--I love the way he plays defense from the front. Ramsey, Mkhi, and Iwobi were disappointing, but not awful. Auba was closest to that for us, but we saw flashes and I think he'll come good soon.
Why did we loan out Chambers? Is Emery expecting Kos to come back and be the CB he was years ago? Unless Torreira is another Kante, we're always going to ship a cheap goal with Mustakratis. I expect to see Mavrapanos sooner rather than later unless those two start clicking.
Who does not love Nacho? Rhetorical question; everyone loves Nacho. Welbeck is another guy who has once again proven useful in a clutch situation. Kudos to Emery for putting him in for PEA.
I don't know anything about the Ozil situation. I expect it'll get sorted out easily enough. Aaron needs to decide what he wants to do. I wish he'd have done that a month ago.
At least we aren't bottom of the table!
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Sunday, July 29, 2018
DC United 2 - 1 Colorado
Wayne Rooney scores his first MLS goal, gets his nose broken, and wins me over completely. What a warrior, and what a force. OK, we were at home against a poor team that almost stole a point from us, but I liked what I saw from the squad last night. They showed some belief, and they justified it. It should have been 4-1, really, but chances went begging. The playoffs are almost certainly out of reach for us, but most of our games the rest of the way are at Audi Field and we should climb in the standings. I have to go to a game.
Congratulations, France. Now, Back to Club Football!
Nice WC. France were deserving winners. Croatia won me over with their heart and skill. England overachieved, Belgium was impressive. OK, that happened.
Arsenal's preseason is going about how I expected. Emery is finding out some things members of his squad do well and not so well. About that:
What happened to Mkhitaryan? He really looked poor in the ICC games. Unless he recaptures his old form, Lucas Perez could rise above him in the pecking order.
Kolasinac looks like a guy every winger in the EPL will want to play against. That's not what i'd have expected after his first few games for us.
I hate to say it, but Aaron Ramsey is talking like a guy who loves his football but would rather be doing it for someone else. He's still got the skills and the engine; I just wish he'd commit to us so Emery could instill the discipline he's lacking.
Gwendouzi has really announced himself. Emery wouldn't have given him so many minutes if he weren't considering him as a first team regular. he looks the part; time will tell.
Leno seems solid enough. Cech cost us points last season, and we can't afford that. Martinez does not convince me, but I want him to stay and improve.
Bellerin is still excellent. I can't believe anyone is criticizing him.
I'm perplexed about the center back situation. All of them have weaknesses. Unless Torreia can provide lots better protection than Xhaka and Elneny and Ramsey did, we're going to ship a lot of preventable goals again. The upside is that we have a lot of decent (though not great) CBs, so we're not an injury away from a bigger problem. Maybe a three-back system is a tactical option in some games. Mustafi has to break his habit of diving in to try to win balls in the attacking half, or get better at it.
Smith-Rowe may have sold Emery on keeping him on the first team. He looks like an Arsenal player. Nelson showed well, I thought.
Auba and Lacazette looked as dangerous as ever. Both are going to score plenty of goals for us. There's no Giroud-flavored Plan B now, but maybe that's just something we have to accept. I miss the big lug, but I'll get over it.
All our rivals have plenty of talent and (except for Spuds) have bought more of it. If we crack the top four at the end of the season, it will be because Emery gets more out of his squad than anyone has a right to expect. You never know; maybe City is jaded, United has Jose fatigue, Spuds tear themselves apart, and Chelsea keeps fading. Liverpool is the top six team that seems surest to improve in the standings. I'm not going to worry about West Ham or the other teams that are trying to climb the table this season. I have to believe we're better.
And there's always the cup competitions, which I hope Emery takes very seriously.
Arsenal's preseason is going about how I expected. Emery is finding out some things members of his squad do well and not so well. About that:
What happened to Mkhitaryan? He really looked poor in the ICC games. Unless he recaptures his old form, Lucas Perez could rise above him in the pecking order.
Kolasinac looks like a guy every winger in the EPL will want to play against. That's not what i'd have expected after his first few games for us.
I hate to say it, but Aaron Ramsey is talking like a guy who loves his football but would rather be doing it for someone else. He's still got the skills and the engine; I just wish he'd commit to us so Emery could instill the discipline he's lacking.
Gwendouzi has really announced himself. Emery wouldn't have given him so many minutes if he weren't considering him as a first team regular. he looks the part; time will tell.
Leno seems solid enough. Cech cost us points last season, and we can't afford that. Martinez does not convince me, but I want him to stay and improve.
Bellerin is still excellent. I can't believe anyone is criticizing him.
I'm perplexed about the center back situation. All of them have weaknesses. Unless Torreia can provide lots better protection than Xhaka and Elneny and Ramsey did, we're going to ship a lot of preventable goals again. The upside is that we have a lot of decent (though not great) CBs, so we're not an injury away from a bigger problem. Maybe a three-back system is a tactical option in some games. Mustafi has to break his habit of diving in to try to win balls in the attacking half, or get better at it.
Smith-Rowe may have sold Emery on keeping him on the first team. He looks like an Arsenal player. Nelson showed well, I thought.
Auba and Lacazette looked as dangerous as ever. Both are going to score plenty of goals for us. There's no Giroud-flavored Plan B now, but maybe that's just something we have to accept. I miss the big lug, but I'll get over it.
All our rivals have plenty of talent and (except for Spuds) have bought more of it. If we crack the top four at the end of the season, it will be because Emery gets more out of his squad than anyone has a right to expect. You never know; maybe City is jaded, United has Jose fatigue, Spuds tear themselves apart, and Chelsea keeps fading. Liverpool is the top six team that seems surest to improve in the standings. I'm not going to worry about West Ham or the other teams that are trying to climb the table this season. I have to believe we're better.
And there's always the cup competitions, which I hope Emery takes very seriously.
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Not Watch World Cup? Like That Would Happen.
I tried not to tune in, but of course I failed. Fox is doing its best to drive me away. Their coverage stinks. Derek Rae is the only decent play by play guy, and the color commentators are pretty bad. Warren Barton is fine in the studio, but he gets really annoying in my ear for 90 minutes. Aly Wagner is decent; Tony Meola OK. Everyone else goes on mute. Actually, that's how I usually watch this WC.
Now that Messi and Ronaldo are going home, the only player left that Fox acknowledges is Neymar. It's as though no one at Fox follows football beyond reading gossip magazines.
OK, the games:
I was delighted that Germany crashed out and Mexico moved on. Play was uneven and many games were not exactly thrilling, but most were at least close. There were plenty of late goals. VAR is a success as far as I'm concerned. There was the usual excitement and drama in most of the groups for the third group game. In the knockouts, France 4 - 3 Argentina was really good, I thought. The two games today that were decided via kicks-from-the-spot were fairly dour affairs, especially the Russia win over Spain, which was terrible. In 120 minutes, Spain completed over a thousand passes to Russia's 200, but never tested Akinfeev. Their only score was an own-goal; Russia got a PK after the aptly named Pique intentionally blocked a header with his arm. DaGea was shockingly bad this WC, and he looked awful in the shootout. I'm thinking Belgium has as good a chance as any team to win it all, and if Mexico can't do it, I'll be rooting for them. But if England or Switzerland can be champion, great. I can't get behind Russia; I hate the way they play.
Now that Messi and Ronaldo are going home, the only player left that Fox acknowledges is Neymar. It's as though no one at Fox follows football beyond reading gossip magazines.
OK, the games:
I was delighted that Germany crashed out and Mexico moved on. Play was uneven and many games were not exactly thrilling, but most were at least close. There were plenty of late goals. VAR is a success as far as I'm concerned. There was the usual excitement and drama in most of the groups for the third group game. In the knockouts, France 4 - 3 Argentina was really good, I thought. The two games today that were decided via kicks-from-the-spot were fairly dour affairs, especially the Russia win over Spain, which was terrible. In 120 minutes, Spain completed over a thousand passes to Russia's 200, but never tested Akinfeev. Their only score was an own-goal; Russia got a PK after the aptly named Pique intentionally blocked a header with his arm. DaGea was shockingly bad this WC, and he looked awful in the shootout. I'm thinking Belgium has as good a chance as any team to win it all, and if Mexico can't do it, I'll be rooting for them. But if England or Switzerland can be champion, great. I can't get behind Russia; I hate the way they play.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Miscellaneous
The first set of transfers--Papastathopoulos, Leichsteiner, some teenagers--are underwhelming. We shall see if we get a good CM. Emery is probably going to have to get more out of the guys already on staff. Let's hope Ramsey is one of them, and Jack would be helpful too.
The Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup for the first time in their 44 year history. The Wizards were bounced in the first playoff round. DC United is awful again. The Nationals are pretty good again.
I will try to resist the World Cup. It's in Russia for one thing, and of course the absence of the US and Italy takes a lot of the interest out of it for me. Qatar is probably going to be a complete mess that discredits FIFA entirely. I can't believe they didn't do that selection over again.
The Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup for the first time in their 44 year history. The Wizards were bounced in the first playoff round. DC United is awful again. The Nationals are pretty good again.
I will try to resist the World Cup. It's in Russia for one thing, and of course the absence of the US and Italy takes a lot of the interest out of it for me. Qatar is probably going to be a complete mess that discredits FIFA entirely. I can't believe they didn't do that selection over again.
Monday, May 21, 2018
Emery Out! Plus, Serie A and FA Cup
Arsenal is so far behind other Premier League clubs in the vital "total managers" statistic that they're catching up by firing them before they're hired. The Arteta Era was apparently short-lived, lasting just a few days. We shall see if the Emery Era has more staying power.
I was fine with Arteta, and I think I'm fine with Emery. He did great things at Sevilla with a budget that is less than Arsenal's, but was just OK at PSG, with a budget bigger than ours. He's won stuff and he's managed some of the biggest egos in sport. Ozil should be a walk in the park after Neymar.
Let's hope the board gets everything settled soon so the new man (whoever it is) can staff up. This must mean that Pep gets his wish and he keeps Mikel by his side. I hope the latter does not feel as though a rug has been yanked from under him. I suspect that those rumors about his appointment being a done deal were not from anyone reliable, and Arteta was not counting on anything.
...
Speaking of rug yanking, as a Roma fan, I had a ball watching Inter snatch the last Champions' League slot from Lazio in the final 15 minutes of their game. (It was extra delicious that it was in Rome.) The fascists needed only a draw and were up 2-1 in the 75th minute, but a penalty allowed the nerazzuri to draw even. The next minute, a stupid sliding tackle as far from either goal as you can get earned one of the biancaceleste a second yellow, and a couple minutes after that, a corner produced the winning header for Inter.
...
In the epic battle between Alexis and Giroud for the FA Cup, the HFB prevailed in what turned (in the second half) into a pretty exciting game. Hazard lost his marker (Herrera) and induced the luckless Phil Jones to foul him as he bore down on the world's best goalkeeper. Hazard may have been a slight favorite to beat DeGea close in from a tight angle, but he was a big favorite to beat him from the spot, which he did. Chelsea played with 10 or 11 behind the ball after that, but things did open up in the second half and both teams had good opportunities. Giroud had a decent game, Sanchez a poor one (though his very good set piece deliveries deserved better from his teammates). Mourinho was sad, so I was happy. plus, we still have the most FA Cup wins, 13 to United's 12 (Spuds and Chavs have 8 each, I believe).
I was fine with Arteta, and I think I'm fine with Emery. He did great things at Sevilla with a budget that is less than Arsenal's, but was just OK at PSG, with a budget bigger than ours. He's won stuff and he's managed some of the biggest egos in sport. Ozil should be a walk in the park after Neymar.
Let's hope the board gets everything settled soon so the new man (whoever it is) can staff up. This must mean that Pep gets his wish and he keeps Mikel by his side. I hope the latter does not feel as though a rug has been yanked from under him. I suspect that those rumors about his appointment being a done deal were not from anyone reliable, and Arteta was not counting on anything.
...
Speaking of rug yanking, as a Roma fan, I had a ball watching Inter snatch the last Champions' League slot from Lazio in the final 15 minutes of their game. (It was extra delicious that it was in Rome.) The fascists needed only a draw and were up 2-1 in the 75th minute, but a penalty allowed the nerazzuri to draw even. The next minute, a stupid sliding tackle as far from either goal as you can get earned one of the biancaceleste a second yellow, and a couple minutes after that, a corner produced the winning header for Inter.
...
In the epic battle between Alexis and Giroud for the FA Cup, the HFB prevailed in what turned (in the second half) into a pretty exciting game. Hazard lost his marker (Herrera) and induced the luckless Phil Jones to foul him as he bore down on the world's best goalkeeper. Hazard may have been a slight favorite to beat DeGea close in from a tight angle, but he was a big favorite to beat him from the spot, which he did. Chelsea played with 10 or 11 behind the ball after that, but things did open up in the second half and both teams had good opportunities. Giroud had a decent game, Sanchez a poor one (though his very good set piece deliveries deserved better from his teammates). Mourinho was sad, so I was happy. plus, we still have the most FA Cup wins, 13 to United's 12 (Spuds and Chavs have 8 each, I believe).
Friday, May 18, 2018
Arteta Out!
Just practicing.
Actually, I like this move. We always knew Mikel was a leader and had a fine football brain. He's steeped in the Barca-Arsenal-Guardiola ethos. I've read that he wasn't the most popular figure in the Arsenal dressing room, and I don't mind that at all. He won't be a pal anymore, he'll be the boss. I hear he's looking to hire Santi, so he's got a good cop on the staff. There won't be a lot of money to spend on new players; Arteta will have to get the most out of the guys on hand, which he's as likely to be able to do as any, having played with most of them.
Bellerin may be more inclined to want to stay, now that a fellow Spaniard is in charge. The big question is Ramsey, who's out of contract a year from now. They need to resign him. I'd like Jack to stay, but if he doesn't, that's not as big a loss. The attack is already quite potent; where we flopped this season was on defense. There were too many mistakes (Cech and Mustafi were especially guilty) and we weren't prepared and organized properly. After Szczesny's comments about our goalkeeping coaching, I'm not sorry to see changes there. We do need a new #1 (I thought the Pole was fine, and frankly even countryman Fabianski would be an upgrade at this point), but I doubt we'd attract Oblak or the equivalent. We're already working on acquiring a center half, if you believe the rumors, and I still like Chambers and Holding. Mavropanos could be an option in a year or two. I have not given up on Mustafi--he may need a kick in the rear and some instruction. Nacho has at least another year in him. Maybe Kolasinac will become that guy he was in his first few games.
We're not hopeless in midfield by a long shot. Maitland-Niles is just about ready to contribute on a regular basis, Aaron is excellent, Xhaka was in good form the second half of the season, Elneny is reliable, Ozil could be on the cusp of greatness now that he's got Auba to assist. The wings could use spicing up, if Mikhi isn't going to regain form.
Welbeck may be surplus to requirements, but I really like him as an insurance policy. Laca and Auba are magnificent. Iwobi needs to have a breakout year.
Anyway, I'm giving Mikel the benefit of the doubt, and I hope other supporters do too. We'll know in a year if we're making progress under the new man.
Actually, I like this move. We always knew Mikel was a leader and had a fine football brain. He's steeped in the Barca-Arsenal-Guardiola ethos. I've read that he wasn't the most popular figure in the Arsenal dressing room, and I don't mind that at all. He won't be a pal anymore, he'll be the boss. I hear he's looking to hire Santi, so he's got a good cop on the staff. There won't be a lot of money to spend on new players; Arteta will have to get the most out of the guys on hand, which he's as likely to be able to do as any, having played with most of them.
Bellerin may be more inclined to want to stay, now that a fellow Spaniard is in charge. The big question is Ramsey, who's out of contract a year from now. They need to resign him. I'd like Jack to stay, but if he doesn't, that's not as big a loss. The attack is already quite potent; where we flopped this season was on defense. There were too many mistakes (Cech and Mustafi were especially guilty) and we weren't prepared and organized properly. After Szczesny's comments about our goalkeeping coaching, I'm not sorry to see changes there. We do need a new #1 (I thought the Pole was fine, and frankly even countryman Fabianski would be an upgrade at this point), but I doubt we'd attract Oblak or the equivalent. We're already working on acquiring a center half, if you believe the rumors, and I still like Chambers and Holding. Mavropanos could be an option in a year or two. I have not given up on Mustafi--he may need a kick in the rear and some instruction. Nacho has at least another year in him. Maybe Kolasinac will become that guy he was in his first few games.
We're not hopeless in midfield by a long shot. Maitland-Niles is just about ready to contribute on a regular basis, Aaron is excellent, Xhaka was in good form the second half of the season, Elneny is reliable, Ozil could be on the cusp of greatness now that he's got Auba to assist. The wings could use spicing up, if Mikhi isn't going to regain form.
Welbeck may be surplus to requirements, but I really like him as an insurance policy. Laca and Auba are magnificent. Iwobi needs to have a breakout year.
Anyway, I'm giving Mikel the benefit of the doubt, and I hope other supporters do too. We'll know in a year if we're making progress under the new man.
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