Measuring Success - The Arsenal (Emery) Barometer

So does Ederson, but that doesn't matter: the point is that a defense should be set and able to deal with that.

At least make the other team work for their chances.

 

Has anyone that knows anything really said we have been doing well defensively at any point this season? I thought we were starting to get a little groove on with Holding, but Kola and Lichtsteiner have been a nightmare all season defensively. Kola has given a lot going forward so I guess that’s something.

I think Emery has tried to protect his defenders at some expense of attack. It hasn’t worked much largely due to individual errors—poor line, poor passing at the back, penalty giveaways, not marking runners, not clearing crosses, poor communication...the list is long. If this continues after a full season or two, then I’ll look at Emery, but for now I think he’s doing okay. Not much better or worse really, but different. We’ve conceded more than last year, but we’ve been without first choice players more than last year this time as well iirc.

 

Yes. We started to look really good defensively post-Liverpool: use of three at the back meant that we weren't conceding nearly as many chances. Sure, it was only a 2-3 game sample, but the chances conceded, and the quality of chances conceded went way down. Then Holding and Bellerin got hurt and it all fell apart.

Part of this, I think, is due to Kolasinac: if he plays, it has to be as a wingback. He's adequate defensively as a wingback and offers a lot going forward. But he's a disaster as a left back in a back 4, because he doesn't have help and it ends up being foul and penalty city due to his lack of lateral quickness.

 

http://www.espn.com/soccer/arsenal/...provement-down-to-unai-emery-shkodran-mustafi

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...lacked-defensive-structure-Arsene-Wenger.html

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...rys-overhaul-of-gunners-defence-a4003711.html

 

You talking about the first chance he had? Ya that was a midfield issue xhaka and guen got it wrong. Two quick passes and they had space against our high line.

Besides our defending, what annoyed me was that one Defender is on two runners—sess and mitrovic. Mitrovic is clearly offside and the ball literally rolls in front of his feet. I just don’t get how that’s not offside. How is he not involved in the play? The defender had to choose one player to mark and doesn’t know which if either are offside.

 

Nothing in those that says we’ve been good defensively, just that Emery has more focus on defensive organization than AW did. Isn’t that true? Many were still critical of our defense and recognize the increase in chances conceded:

https://www.lovesportradio.com/news...i-emery-revealed-by-ex-gunner-stewart-robson/

https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/02/why-...l-be-ruthlessly-exposed-by-liverpool-8095214/

Defensively things are different if not better—yet. I’ve seen stretches where the CM seemed to help the fullbacks out a lot more than before. Until the last game or two, I’ve seen xhaka improve his defending by not just hanging a leg out like he used to. I’ve also seen many players have a better defensive body shape and sprinting to spaces instead of just toward a man. Clearly, though, Emery has priorities which are high risks/reward—play out from the back, keep a narrow/compact defense, keep the fullbacks extremely high up the pitch and keep a high line during possession. That’s his style and some individuals are still having issues with it. Lichtsteiner continuously plays people onside, Kola is completely unaware of his flank on the diagonal pass, Kos seemed clueless his first two games back as did mustafi. If we give the ball away deep without Sokratis and with bellarin high up the pitch we have zero recovery pace.

 

CATENACCIO!!!

 

Arsenal under Wenger did this in years past, where the left back was more likely to go further forward and the right back (in the Sagna days) stayed closer to midfield to help control possession.

Wenger really wanted his left backs to bomb forwards - we saw Cole, Clichy, Gibbs, Santos, Monreal, and Kolasinac get forward a lot more than the right back, probably in an effort to key on the left half-space. I'm guessing that's why he played a bunch of nominally central right-footed attackers on the left: Pires, Hleb, Rosicky, Nasri, Cazorla, Alexis.

 

Are you new? Lol a long punt yielding 1vs1 is a signature of the Premier League since at least the 90s.

 

Imo Ederson is unparalleled on the deck

His range is insane

In terms of unbalanced fbs I agree

U want an irthadox winger with a sound full back and an inside forward with an attacker

A la Cole and pires with Lauren staying safe with Freddie

We also had the big cb little cb combo which I miss

 

Love bellarin, but I do miss Sagna. Couldn’t cross for sh!t, but was Just one of those defenders you had confidence in 1v1 and in recovery. Was the perfect foil for Walcott.

 

You can have two marauding wingbacks, but we need much better defensive work down the spine.

Better than Lauren, I think. Truly a player who could've been an Invincible for us.

 

Clichy was the weak link

Especially when vermaeken was lcb

 

I wonder that Gibbs might have been decent under Emery.

 

How has he done since leaving?

 

He’s ok at West Brom

He had pace but that’s it

Sylvinho or even santos would look better

 

Santos was a poor man Kolasinac lol

 

He’s a regular for WBA I think, not that that says much.

 

@thebigman @crazy150 word, was curious, honestly hadn't seen his name pop up in a while

 

He was on going forward though but a horrible player and defender may of worked in a 3 at the back

 

Monreal is the best LB we have had in ages. He had to move on to play. Credit to him.