Power n Glory wrote:
What I've seen so far has been really disappointing. Pressing is almost non existent. Poor performances from individuals go unpunished and they continue to get games. I won't list it all but it's frustrating to watch and the way we bounce from formation to formation suggests to me that Emery is a little lost as well. Hopefully we start pulling in some better performancs and it all start coming together before the season ends. He hasn't burned any bridges with me and I'm not the type or person that's too stubborn to change my opinion when we start making progress. Progress is more than just the results so that's also why I disagree about lacking perspective. I'm not moaning about being outside of the top 4 or getting knocked out of cups.
This is going to be my last post on this topic because I feel like it's been dragged out.
You've made your opinion clear and I've made mine clear. Based on what you've said, our opinions on Emery aren't miles apart.
I think people are seriously underestimating the impact of the injuries we have suffered. Bellerin was getting back to his best form and gets injured for a while, then comes back against Chelsea and gets a season ending injury. Holding was performing superbly alongside Sokratis, but the former gets a season-ending injury and the latter is out for a month which has disrupted our defence. They are 3 of our best defensive players, all of whom played a huge role in our 22-game unbeaten run, that have been for lengthy spells injured.
For all of the stick Welbeck gets, he was a superb 3rd choice option and his pace, work-rate and power meant we could utilise him on the flanks as well. He eased the workload off of Lacazette and Aubameyang, was a superb bench option. He was in good form too. Then he gets a season ending injury. Mkhitaryan was injured for 6 weeks too which meant we had to play Ramsey/Aubameyang on the flanks to give us width.
I thought we were pressing quite well and were playing some good football up until these series of injuries affected our momentum.
It also doesn't help when your back up options are a 35-year old OAP and a midfielder having to play at right-back. We even had to play Xhaka at centre-back for a few games FFS!
Emery's tactical tinkering was lauded to begin with and now it's getting heavily criticised. Personally, I think the constant switching from 3atb to 4atb is because he is trying to figure out what strategy best suits the players we have available and which players have shortcomings that can be protected in different formations.
I would prefer it if he stuck to one central formation to start with, but it seems every week, players either keep getting ill or injured. Ozil and Aubameyang were ill for Huddersfield, then Ramsey gets a knee injury and Xhaka gets a groin injury.
There is an element of luck that we've not had when it comes to this.
That's why I say Emery's done a decent job considering the internal and external factors which have affected him. That includes Mislintat leaving midway through the season, too.