Unai Emery

[TheToffnar]

I am truly baffled by his recent selections and in game management.
We have seen Emery adapt to different teams, different in game circumstances.
We have also seen him get it spectacularly wrong.
But this is the first time when he seems to not recognise the problems the team is having with how he has set them up and continue to play players that are not up to it.
Last night was yet another example, the first half was like a basket ball match, we were so open that Chelsea attacked at will , but we were a goal up we didn’t need to play into their hands.
It’s been obvious for weeks that the 2 in midfield is not enough , that we are unable to get out of a high press and that our centre forward is woefully out of form and confidence.
But he still persists with the same players in the same system getting the same outcomes.

Maybe a 451 type setup for Old Trafford with Bogarde in the middle. Rogers on one wing and one of Bailey or Buendia on the other. But the form of several players has collapsed. Maybe back to Lindelof & Torres at the back, Lindelof definitely deserves a chance in any case.

Lindelof deserves a run out against Lile. Love Konsa, but his heads clearly gone and he needs a break.

[luke95]

I'm beginning to wonder if Emery's head is already elsewhere.
I really hope not, not for another 2-3 years anyway

[teamvillage]

I think we have short memories here. Unai had a team playing very poorly in August/early September and his method was to play the players he trusts back into form.

It might not work this time but it worked pretty spectacularly well last time, so I can see why he's minded to try it again rather than tear it all up and make huge changes. It's not a sign of him losing interest to me, at least.

[TheToffnar]

I've no doubt that if certain fine margins had gone our way in the past few weeks, we wouldn't be having these sorts of conversations now. Everything has gone against us.

Players out of form
Going up against teams finding something
Shocking refereeing displays
Injuries
Stubborn managerial decisions

This team has surprised us too many times for me to just write them off, I won't do that until it becomes impossible, but I won't grope for positives where there are none either.

[PaulWinch again]

Three absolutely killer decisions from yesterday:

- playing Mings not Torres and continuing to try and play out of the back. That is just entirely the wrong selection.
- starting Buendia and Bailey in the same team. Quite apart from form and capability, we simply can’t compete physically if they both start.
- Bringing on Bogarde for Cash. Firstly wrong player in terms of it didn’t make us defensively more robust, and at the same time removed any ability to carry the ball forward. But more that it was just swapping a player, rather than tactically addressing Chelsea were getting on top. We needed a tactical shift at half time, it didn’t happen and sure enough within a few minutes the inevitable third was scored.

There were other lesser calls (e.g. Tammy on far too late). But the above were all decisions that absolutely stuffed us.

[SamTheMouse]

We're going to be shit until our midfield returns.

We haven't just lost our three best players - their absence has affected everyone else.

Being without them has caused the rest of the squad to lose their shit. They all look like they've got imposter syndrome.

[Stinkin_Thinkin]

We're going to be shit until our midfield returns.

We haven't just lost our three best players - their absence has affected everyone else.

Being without them has caused the rest of the squad to lose their shit. They all look like they've got imposter syndrome.

you can get away with losing one, but all three was catastrophic. I don't know what the solution is? change shape,  flood the midfield with bodies? We have to adapt fast with the money at stake for UCL qualification.

[brontebilly]

I think we have short memories here. Unai had a team playing very poorly in August/early September and his method was to play the players he trusts back into form.

It might not work this time but it worked pretty spectacularly well last time, so I can see why he's minded to try it again rather than tear it all up and make huge changes. It's not a sign of him losing interest to me, at least.

Those players included likes of McGinn and Kamara. Proven performers in that narrow midfield four. It simply isn't working any longer and hasn't since Newcastle away.

Going to have to try another body in midfield and give up on Mings.