Unai Emery

[Risso]

He wasn’t

[Monty]

Bailey looks like a goat who's surprised to find the ball between his hooves and is worried it might attack him.

[OzVilla]

I think this is UE’s biggest test, bigger even than when he first joined.

[Rory]

That this is his biggest test yet is remarkable.

Anybody who predicted when he took over that he'd get us into Europe in his first season and CL in his second is either the world's biggest optimist or a liar.

After two years, we face a bit of a reckoning because we're just not as good as he made us look initially. Unfortunately, in some key positions we are not top eight, let alone top four.

It might take letting go of some favourites, but I have faith we'll get there.

[ChicagoLion]

I am glad he is here. But he is not beyond criticism .
I think we have tried to change too much too quickly and it is showing.
The sense of unity that we displayed over the previous 2 seasons seems to have evaporated.
He must be pulling his hair out at some of the performances of certain players. It feels like there is something not right in the camp.

[Demitri_C]

Well on the basis he was exceptionally good last season I’d give him as much time as possible. I’m not convinced he’s fit and the biggest mistake was getting rid of Diaby and thinking Philogene could fill the gap.

Philogene isn't filling the Diaby gap, Rogers is, seeing as he's playing in Diaby's position. And he might not be playing very well at the moment, but he'll easily surpass's Diaby's goal contribution I reckon.

Not sure that’s quite true, but we can have different views. Rogers was here for half a season with Diaby. Diaby would probably have been a luxury as an option from the bench but he would have offered way more than Jaden is right now.

I think diaby would be getting in the team quite easily if he was still here.  Im convinced he would have more goals than bailey and philogene have and we probably would hava a few more points on the board.

He's not, though, is he?

We had to sell him due to PSR pressures, and the same with Luiz (as documented by Vidagany after the window closed).

We were forced to sell a valuable player, and it was Luiz, and we were forced to do that having already sold Diaby.

So there's really no point moaning about Luiz or Diaby, there was no option, they had to go - and FWIW, Luiz was good when he fancied it at best, and Diaby was one of the most inconsistent players I've seen here for ages. That seems to be forgotten amidst all the performative chest beating about not replacing him.

Its not moaning - just merely expressing my opinion that if you are going to sell key players like diaby and luiz you need to replace them with quality as good. We didn't. This isn't the only reason why we are struggling but it is a big part of it.

We downgraded on Philogene who has zero goals or assists. Youri has stepped up this season but again zero goals in the PL. Onana i think 50m was a lot of money but he has had a up and down start. He certainly hasn't been the worse player so be harsh to overly criticise him. But i thought the purpose of signing him was to help on the defensive side and give abit more help in the air and towards the physical side of our game. Yet we probably look worse on that side too.

Back to my point about Diaby and Luiz, did you see how totally hopeless we looked when we were counter attacking yesterday and at spurs? Just look at liverpool fantastic at it getting better at it while we gone backwards in that regard. When we had Diaby last year we very good counter attacking.  His pace was massive in that. The FFP side of things i  think we sold the wrong players. i would have gone for Ramsey as we would have made more profit and he is becoming too injury prone now. Obviously none of us know behind the scenes if Diaby and Luiz wanted to go or were told they had to go due to the FFP side of things. But regardless if they are going, you need to replace them with players that are close to that ability. Down grading or not replacing them results in whats happening this season, missing chances and getting punished for it. Its been about 5 games already that has cost us. Ollie scores sitter last week to make it 2-0 we win, Rogers scores to make it 1-1 we may have got something last night. Then going further back lots of chances missed at Bournemouth it cost, same against arsenal.

[aj2k77]

We've lost to Tottenham and Liverpool away. It's not his biggest test. I'm not a happy clapper as most on here can testify to but the idea that losing to two of the top 5 away is a crisis is ridiculous.

[Demitri_C]

We've lost to Tottenham and Liverpool away. It's not his biggest test. I'm not a happy clapper as most on here can testify to but the idea that losing to two of the top 5 away is a crisis is ridiculous.

For me its more won win in eight more than the last two. Also four straight losses. I wouldnt say  crisis yet but its not good, not good at all

[PeterWithesShin]

I love Unai and wouldn't swap him for anyone but we do have issues that aren't being sorted. We've only kept 9 clean sheets in our last 54 league games, conceding 83. With a fair number of them comically bad goals to gift the opposition. Untl that's sorted then the sustained success we're all hoping for will be very hard to achieve.

[eye digress]

It’s a concern, but not a crisis (does that really need to be said?).

Our results and form are looking a bit like the Jaudis from last season. We need to ensure that we turn that around.

But the table remains really tight. The main thing that has happened these past few league games is that the gap between the top 5 (including us) and the rest, which at one point looked like opening into a gulf, has more or less disappeared. So everything remains to be played for.

[Villan82]

As a club, we have made incredible progress in a short space of time. The genius of the football operation brought us back to where we feel we belong - among the top teams.

But there have been some questionable decisions since we achieved top four. We did a lot of business for whatever reason, and while the balance sheet is healthier, we definitely haven't strengthened the first team.

It's perfectly fair to say Luiz and Diaby had to go for financial reasons. But did Maatsen have to come in? I know some here were very critical of Diaby but for a first season in England he was productive and, more importantly, a threat the opposition had to think about. He seemed to enable Bailey then to either come on as a super-sub against tired defences or raise his game enough to force himself back into the team.

Then there is the Luiz issue. Again, he sure has his online critics! For me, he was the beating heart of the team. A class act who was great on set pieces, great at receiving the ball at the back, and also a goal threat. Onana adds much needed physical height and has done OK. But he is a drop-off on quality from Luiz. Then when you combine that with Bailey's issues and McGinn's loss of form what was a top 4 midfield last season just doesn't look it this season. We swapped Tim for Dobbin, we got two makeweights as part of the deal for Luiz, we sold Kellyman. Zaniolo is gone and Buendia is back. Lenglet is gone and Mings is back. So the squad has more depth but the chemistry of last year just isn't there yet.

We clearly are in more of a 'transitional' season than most of us expected, and so soon into the project, so I see success this season as a top 7-8 finish. That's why i was annoyed we gave up on the League Cup.

[LeeB]

I think Luiz is not being missed at all and that's a red herring, the root of our problems lie with Watkins and Bailey being shadows of last seasons players and the ball coming back at us far too quickly.

[Mister E]

I think Luiz is not being missed at all and that's a red herring, the root of our problems lie with Watkins and Bailey being shadows of last seasons players and the ball coming back at us far too quickly.

True, and part of the problem for Watkins particularly is that the ball is being passed out from the back at glacial speed; an opponent-defender's wet dream in terms of managing a sole striker. Emery appears to want his fullbacks to add width but that really ain't happening either; so, we're stuck in a midfield minefield of quicksand.

[Paul.S]

Well on the basis he was exceptionally good last season I’d give him as much time as possible. I’m not convinced he’s fit and the biggest mistake was getting rid of Diaby and thinking Philogene could fill the gap.

Philogene isn't filling the Diaby gap, Rogers is, seeing as he's playing in Diaby's position. And he might not be playing very well at the moment, but he'll easily surpass's Diaby's goal contribution I reckon.

Not sure that’s quite true, but we can have different views. Rogers was here for half a season with Diaby. Diaby would probably have been a luxury as an option from the bench but he would have offered way more than Jaden is right now.

I think diaby would be getting in the team quite easily if he was still here.  Im convinced he would have more goals than bailey and philogene have and we probably would hava a few more points on the board.

He's not, though, is he?

We had to sell him due to PSR pressures, and the same with Luiz (as documented by Vidagany after the window closed).

We were forced to sell a valuable player, and it was Luiz, and we were forced to do that having already sold Diaby.

So there's really no point moaning about Luiz or Diaby, there was no option, they had to go - and FWIW, Luiz was good when he fancied it at best, and Diaby was one of the most inconsistent players I've seen here for ages. That seems to be forgotten amidst all the performative chest beating about not replacing him.

Its not moaning - just merely expressing my opinion that if you are going to sell key players like diaby and luiz you need to replace them with quality as good. We didn't. This isn't the only reason why we are struggling but it is a big part of it.

We downgraded on Philogene who has zero goals or assists. Youri has stepped up this season but again zero goals in the PL. Onana i think 50m was a lot of money but he has had a up and down start. He certainly hasn't been the worse player so be harsh to overly criticise him. But i thought the purpose of signing him was to help on the defensive side and give abit more help in the air and towards the physical side of our game. Yet we probably look worse on that side too.

Back to my point about Diaby and Luiz, did you see how totally hopeless we looked when we were counter attacking yesterday and at spurs? Just look at liverpool fantastic at it getting better at it while we gone backwards in that regard. When we had Diaby last year we very good counter attacking.  His pace was massive in that. The FFP side of things i  think we sold the wrong players. i would have gone for Ramsey as we would have made more profit and he is becoming too injury prone now. Obviously none of us know behind the scenes if Diaby and Luiz wanted to go or were told they had to go due to the FFP side of things. But regardless if they are going, you need to replace them with players that are close to that ability. Down grading or not replacing them results in whats happening this season, missing chances and getting punished for it. Its been about 5 games already that has cost us. Ollie scores sitter last week to make it 2-0 we win, Rogers scores to make it 1-1 we may have got something last night. Then going further back lots of chances missed at Bournemouth it cost, same against arsenal.

Unfortunately this is the frustration of the financial restrictions placed on the likes of us and others attempting to disrupt the cartel.
Our hands were tied and we had to sell. We had no hotels to sell, we aren’t owned by a nation state who were allowed to spend what they liked and we’d have to have CL money for years to bridge the gap.
When you see certain clubs stock piling players while we have to sell then we all see what we are up against. The only prayer we have is we have a world class coach. Last season we were a surprise package but this season teams are well prepared against us. That’s when you need that added quality and we just can’t spend the money. It’s about as far from a level playing field long term as you can get.
We have a chance still but the odds are stacked against us, even more so now because we can’t make so many changes for the CL games as we did for the conference last season.
Keeping Emery at the club is vital.

[Demitri_C]

As a club, we have made incredible progress in a short space of time. The genius of the football operation brought us back to where we feel we belong - among the top teams.

But there have been some questionable decisions since we achieved top four. We did a lot of business for whatever reason, and while the balance sheet is healthier, we definitely haven't strengthened the first team.

It's perfectly fair to say Luiz and Diaby had to go for financial reasons. But did Maatsen have to come in? I know some here were very critical of Diaby but for a first season in England he was productive and, more importantly, a threat the opposition had to think about. He seemed to enable Bailey then to either come on as a super-sub against tired defences or raise his game enough to force himself back into the team.

Then there is the Luiz issue. Again, he sure has his online critics! For me, he was the beating heart of the team. A class act who was great on set pieces, great at receiving the ball at the back, and also a goal threat. Onana adds much needed physical height and has done OK. But he is a drop-off on quality from Luiz. Then when you combine that with Bailey's issues and McGinn's loss of form what was a top 4 midfield last season just doesn't look it this season. We swapped Tim for Dobbin, we got two makeweights as part of the deal for Luiz, we sold Kellyman. Zaniolo is gone and Buendia is back. Lenglet is gone and Mings is back. So the squad has more depth but the chemistry of last year just isn't there yet.

We clearly are in more of a 'transitional' season than most of us expected, and so soon into the project, so I see success this season as a top 7-8 finish. That's why i was annoyed we gave up on the League Cup.

Good post mate