Unai Emery

[PaulWinch again]

Until Unai works out how to get a balance akin to the first half of last season this will continue. We weren’t perfect defensively then but we were decent enough and balanced that with razor sharp attacking play.

I think Unai is trying to patch the defensive play by having control, but it’s not helping our defending as it’s just short of all the fundamentals and it’s also hindering our attack - which is our strength.

[PeterWithe]

The Bailey at RB decision was a brave one, one that Clough would have done, toward the end. A bit sorrowful to see Leon dancing about, just about to play it backward toward the right back then realise there isn't one, it's him.

[caster troy]

When I saw the team sheet I thought he was playing Bogarde in the Kamara role and McGinn wide right. A bit defensive but it made sense. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the real setup, what was Unai thinking?

[Ian.]

We all get it wrong and this season has been very testing. How many different centre back pairings, or defensive set-up does it make it after tonight?

That and having Kamara missing for too many games has been a massive headache for us to bear.

He’s going to be fuming and obsessing over this one I think.

[aj2k77]

I'll save him a little effort obsessing. Please never ever do the 5 at the back thing again and get rid of Leon Bailey.

[Beard82]

When I saw the team sheet I thought he was playing Bogarde in the Kamara role and McGinn wide right. A bit defensive but it made sense. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the real setup, what was Unai thinking?

This is what I thought - and thought it was ok - McGinn giving some protection for Garcia, and Bogarde as Kamara and keep it tight till we could bring on some of our attacking options.

[Demitri_C]

Sorry unai but this is simply good enough

[pauliewalnuts]

There is no doubt we have had problems in defence with injuries and fielding a settled line-up.

There is no doubt year on year progression will have its set backs like this season (and even then, league very poor, CL very good).

Let's not kid ourselves that this is all about defence, though. What about the pointless, walking football that anyone can cope with? Whose fault is that?

It's on Unai to fix this, and he hasn't.

And that's not saying he's a bad manager or needs sacking or anything like that before anyone starts screetching 'heretic'. It's about saying he needs to fix it and has not done so.

[Demitri_C]

I think thats fair points paulie tbh

He isnt above criticism. His recent record in league as above is shocking and desperately  needs to improve

[PaulWinch again]

There is no doubt we have had problems in defence with injuries and fielding a settled line-up.

There is no doubt year on year progression will have its set backs like this season (and even then, league very poor, CL very good).

Let's not kid ourselves that this is all about defence, though. What about the pointless, walking football that anyone can cope with? Whose fault is that?

It's on Unai to fix this, and he hasn't.

And that's not saying he's a bad manager or needs sacking or anything like that before anyone starts screetching 'heretic'. It's about saying he needs to fix it and has not done so.

Yup and I am convinced it’s on the misapprehension that control will help us defensively. But there is an avalanche of evidence to demonstrate that isn’t the case, and at the same time it undermines our attacking strength because teams can just reorganise. So this approach isn’t strengthening our weakness and it’s weakening our strength.

[PaulWinch again]

“We competed well, but it is not enough - we move on." - no Unai, in the second half we didn’t compete at all.

[pauliewalnuts]

The problem is, we keep making the same mistakes over and over.

Making mistakes is understandable. Repeating them ad infinitum, less so.

Conceding on the first attack. I'm fucking sick of seeing that. Who was even remotely surprised to see that happen today, despite us having looked OK until then?

When is that one getting fixed?

Who would bet against that happening again next game?

[brontebilly]

We all get it wrong and this season has been very testing. How many different centre back pairings, or defensive set-up does it make it after tonight?

That and having Kamara missing for too many games has been a massive headache for us to bear.

He’s going to be fuming and obsessing over this one I think.

But why not change it? 20mins in it was blatantly obvious it wasn't working. After Palace scored, any logic about playing that crap back five went out the window. There was such an obvious change to shift Bogarde into midfield, McGinn right, Rogers next to Watkins. But ignored. Half time, it looked like we were changing but then Bailey to right wing back! It was a bit like that time he brought Duran on in Monaco next to Watkins, disaster from the first minute but rather than change it he talked about it afterwards. 

I haven't seen worse changes since MON at half time for Ireland v Denmark in that play off when he took off our midfield and Eriksen had a field day afterwards.

[PaulWinch again]

We are structurally one of the worst defensive sides in the league. There is so much scope for improvement to even get to being passable. It is astonishing that Unai and his coaching team seem unable to make it even a bit better.

[Paul.S]

Emery is not beyond reproach but he is a top class coach, one of the best and unlike many, many seasons before he came we are in 2 cups and not exactly stinking the place out in the league every week.
He knows what he’s doing and just because things go wrong it doesn’t mean he won’t put them right. I know most of us think this but when I read “it’s not good enough” I’m old enough to know what the meaning is behind it.