Today is the day. It is officially the day where I as an Arsenal supporter can not take the torture anymore. Why in the world would anyone be a fan of a team like this? A team capable of so many moments of beauty, precision, and passion…but more a team capable of ripping out your heart and soul in an instant.
I sit here after Arsenal’s 2-2 defeat away at Watford, yes defeat, not a draw, and wonder to myself why in the world do I have any hopes for Arsenal…EVER. After going ahead 2-0 in the first half through some beautiful and clinical finishing from Aubameyang, come second half a new team arrived on the pitch wearing the red of Arsenal. The team Arsenal fielded in the second half was identical to that who left the pitch up 2-0 in the first, yet they were somehow completely different in terms of ability, desire, and tactical ability.
While I don’t want to go over every painstaking aspect of what happened during this game, I want to talk big picture for Arsenal and what this game says about the current situation at the club.
Arsenal are just as bad as they have always been, its just hidden behind the optimism of some shiny new signings.
Aside from Ceballos, the new signings haven’t showed us a thing. David Luiz is a disaster of a human being, and Pepe looks great in moments, but has yet to produce for us when it matters. Pepe will come good, but Luiz is truly a joke at this point. I will be the first one to admit that I bought into this nonsense that Arsenal were going to be transformed this year with some new additions in place, but it could not be further from the truth. And that is because….
The coaching at Arsenal right now is abysmal.
As a long time Emery defender, this is the day it ends. Liverpool away, Spurs at home, and now this disaster of a display. Why is it that Manchester City can be defeated by Norwich due to their tactical ability and passion, yet Emery can’t muster up a player to look like they give a shit versus any opponent Arsenal face? In the past 3 matches Arsenal have played, we have developed this new strategy to completely abandon playing any defense on the wings of either side of the field… bold strategy. Luckily for us, it’s only cost Arsenal 7 of 9 points so far in their season! The tactics over the past few weeks, and quite frankly dating back to missing the Champions League place at the end of last season is a complete testament to how badly Emery has been failing recently. It hurts to say, but Emery needs to go. I love some of the players he has tried to bring in, I admire the passion he undoubtedly has for this team, I love the fact that he looks like a bond villain and pronounces “evening” as “ebening”, but he is not what Arsenal need.
Arsenal need an identity.
Arsenal need a defense.
Arsenal need some semblance of a team with any clue what it means to wear the shirt.
The team doesn’t care. How could anyone say this team cares and have allowed this type of performance? I am done singling out players, and I am done watching habitual mistake makers be selected (and even captained!) week in and week out. It’s time for change at Arsenal, and it starts with Emery, now.
I fully realize this may be an overreaction to a classic Arsenal away debacle, but its time to figure it out. We have seen what a top manager can do to transform and inspire teams in their time of need, just look at Watford and Quique.
P.S STOP PASSING OUT OF THE BACK WITH PLAYERS WHO CANT DO IT!!!!!!
Author: Michael Dalo, one half of the Mostly Soccer Podcast, and a hopeless Arsenal romantic hailing from the home of world famous DJ Pauly D - Johnston, Rhode Island. Follow me on twitter @soccermostly and @mikedalo20